Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — A mobile home fire that killed three people Friday in western South Dakota could be seen for miles and drew firefighters from a dozen agencies, officials said.
Investigators recovered the bodies by mid-afternoon Friday, Rapid City fire officials said. Two of the bodies appear to be adults, but authorities don't know their age, gender and relationship to each other. Investigators were trying to determine the age of the third victim.
Two people were able to escape the home before firefighters arrived. The two had minor injuries. After talking to witnesses, law enforcement and firefighters began looking for three people who were unaccounted for.
Firefighters say they found the mobile home engulfed in flames when they arrived about 5 a.m. Firefighters made several attempts to enter the home and rescue those inside, but could not enter because of the "heavy fire conditions," authorities said in a statement. The mobile home was destroyed.
Firefighters had to move slowly as they searched the home because of concerns about the stability of the structure, Rapid City Fire Lt. Jim Bussell said. The fire damaged a second home at the B & J Mobile Home Park in Rapid City and ignited a small grass fire. Officers were able to quickly evacuate the second mobile home.
Crews reported seeing flames visible from several miles away as they responded to the blaze. The cause remains under investigation.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
