By Mark Wineka
Salisbury Post
GRANITE QUARRY ó A kitchen fire heavily damaged a singlewide mobile home near East Rowan High School and displaced a family of three Thursday evening.
Virginia Tovar and her family had finished their dinner about 20 minutes earlier, and while she was in the shower, a fire started in the wall behind the stove.
Her family escaped the trailer in Walker’s Mobile Home Park off U.S. 52 without mishap as flames engulfed the kitchen on the western end of the home.
“I don’t know what happened,” a shaken Tovar said as she and her family sat in the screened-in porch of Nan Walker, longtime owner of the mobile home park.
Tovar was still wet from her shower.
Granite Quarry Deputy Chief Bill Fraley said firefighters made a good, quick hit on the structure and brought the fire under control. Firefighters from Rockwell Rural and Rockwell City, Faith and Salisbury also responded to the call.
The Rowan Rescue Squad provided rehabilitation and air pack services.
Fraley said flames were coming out of the kitchen windows and roof above that side of the trailer when departments arrived.
Walker and others with her on the porch expressed gratitude that no one was hurt.
“It’s always a kitchen fire,” Walker said.
She has 14 mobile homes in the park at 6440 U.S. 52 and takes pride in its appearance.
“I birthed every one of them,” she said of the trailers.
Tovar said she hoped her family could stay with her uncle Thursday night.
The fire occurred about 7:50 p.m., and firefighters voiced some initial concern about a propane tank immediately inside the front door, but it did not prove to be a problem.
Contact Mark Wineka at 704-797-4263 or mwineka@salisburypost.com.