DOVER, DELAWARE (4/24/2015) A fire that destroyed three house trailers near Dover this morning and displaced 16 people was started by a malfunctioning space heater igniting nearby items in a bedroom, authorities said.
“Tragedy was averted when a sleeping juvenile in the bedroom began choking on the smoke and woke up his sibling. There were no smoke alarms inside the house trailer where the fire originated,” said Michael Chionchio, assistant state fire marshal.
The fire broke out about 2:30 a.m. in the Grandview mobile home park at 1492 N. Little Creek Road.
When Dover firefighters arrived, one home was engulfed in flames and the fire was spreading to two adjacent trailers, Chionchio said.
There were three adults and six children in the trailer where the fire started and they were able to safely escape, as were two adults in one of the adjacent trailers and three adults and two children in the other.
Damage was estimated at $30,000. The cause was ruled accidental.
The American Red Cross is assisting the displaced residents.