Fire traps, kills paralyzed man

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Tuesday, January 21, 2003
News


Fire traps, kills paralyzed man
Space heater likely started blaze in trailer, fire officials say

DEANA POOLE THE OLYMPIAN

THURSTON COUNTY -- A 57-year-old paraplegic man died in his Salmon Shores travel trailer Monday morning, trapped as the mobile home went up in flames around him.

Everything happened quickly -- within minutes.
The call to 9-1-1 was quick. So was the response time from Black Lake firefighters and other area departments.

But when firefighters cut through the side of the RV and found him on the floor next to his bed, it was too late.

Charles Gingrich, 57, died Monday morning, in the park on Black Lake Boulevard where he had lived alone for five years.

Fire officials believe the fire was started by combustible material around a space heater, located in the center of the mobile home.

"On a small RV like that, it goes up very quick," said Bob Lord, chief of Black Lake Fire District 5.

The call was received at 10:42 a.m. Monday. Firefighters, including units from McLane Fire District 9, Littlerock Fire District 11 and Griffin Fire District 13, arrived on the scene at 10:46 a.m., Lord said.

"When we got there, we found a heavily involved RV," Lord said, adding that the middle and front of the trailer were the most heavily damaged in the fire.

The fire department had helped Gingrich, who is a dwarf, in the past, so officials knew where in the trailer they would likely find him.

"He doesn't have use of his legs," Lord said.

"There was really no way out for him."

Gingrich doesn't have any family members in the area, officials said, but he might have a brother in California.

Around the mobile home park, he was known as Chuck.

He was described by neighbors as ornery and anything but bashful but a man who will be missed.

Gingrich ordered groceries from the small convenience store in the park, and the manager's son delivered them to him.

The fire is under investigation.

The Thurston County Coroner's office is participating in the investigation but does not plan an autopsy, Coroner Judy Arnold said.

Gingrich's trailer remained surrounded by yellow caution tape late Monday night, with debris strewn about nearby.

Nearly a year ago, in February of 2002, another fire at the trailer park destroyed a travel trailer, and fire made it halfway up a 100-foot tree.

No one was injured in the blaze, which about 20 firefighters from Black Lake, Littlerock Fire District 11, Griffin Fire District 13 and Rochester Fire District 1 helped extinguish. That fire was determined to have been accidental.

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