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COLUMBIA — A fire at 5350 Old Millers Road lot 7 left one man dead Saturday evening.
The Boone County Fire Department received a call at 5:36 p.m. from a resident at the park who reported that a male resident was trapped inside his trailer, which was on fire, Boone County Fire Chief Scott Olsen said.
Olsen said the fire had almost engulfed the mobile home by the time the Fire Department arrived.
The firefighters were immediately able to find the man inside the burning trailer and pull him outside but were unable to resuscitate him, Olsen said.
He said the man lived alone inside the trailer and was trapped in the back bedroom when the rescue team found him.
Thirty-four personnel, three fire engines, two tankers, one rescue squad, one air and light unit and one Boone Hospital Center ambulance were on the scene, as well as the man's relatives, Olsen said.
Investigations of the incident have been turned over to the Boone County Sheriff’s Department, the Boone County Fire Investigator, the State Fire Marshal Investigator and a medical examiner, Olsen said.
Although investigations still need to take place, he said initial indications show that the fire was probably of an accidental origin.
The Sheriff’s Department will release the name and information of the man at a later time, Olsen said.
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A sad tale. Many years ago, I found myself in a similar situation when the trailer I lived in caught on fire. I awoke to smoke and flames, managed--I don't remember how-- to kick out a back window--and tumble into a snowbank. Next four weeks in MU's burn unit.
I wonder if more modern trailers have any sort of escape hatch in the rear rooms; if not, they should. I'll never sleep in a trailer again.