Flames tore through a mobile home near Lakeside and lofted a plume of smoke that could be seen from about two miles away on Friday.
Firefighters were sent to the residence in the 13200 block of Aurora Drive near Los Coches Road shortly after 12:30 p.m. Friday, according to Lakeside Fire Protection District Division Chief Chuck Tockstein, who reported heavy black smoke was visible a couple miles east of the incident.
The double-wide mobile home was occupied when the fire broke out, but the residents had gotten out before fire officials arrived, Tockstein said.
The residence was fully engulfed, and flames threatened numerous nearby structures, Tockstein said. Fire crews, who arrived in about six minutes, secured a water supply and stretched hand lines to prevent the blaze from spreading to the most threatened neighbors.
"Due to the advances involvement of this fire on arrival, initial firefighting effort was directed to limiting damage to adjacent properties," Tockstein said in a statement.
The mobile home sustained extensive damage to one side. A photo posted on the Lakeside Fire Protection District's website showed that side's charred frame remained.
Santee firefighters assisted with this effort.
-City News Service
