A spokesman for the state fire marshal’s office said Tuesday that investigators were unable to determine what caused the fire that destroyed a mobile home in Durham over the weekend.
Durham Fire and Rescue was called to 12 Country Acres Road at just after 10:30 a.m. Saturday. At least eight agencies responded to the fire, which sent the elderly tenants and their daughter to the hospital with smoke inhalation.
According to Durham Fire Chief William St. Michel, the tenants transported were Eugene Warner, 72, and Patricia Destefano, 61.
Two firefighters were also transported to local hospitals to be evaluated Saturday.
“As near as we can understand from early-on video and witness accounts, the fire appears to have originated in the dining end of the mobile home,” said Sgt. Ken Grimes of the state fire marshal’s office. “And as far as causation, that’s going to be undetermined due to the extent of damage.”
It appears the fire was accidental, he said, as there is nothing to indicate it was anything else.
Several parakeets were lost in the fire, Grimes said, and neither the owner of the mobile home nor the tenants had insurance.
dmoore@timesrecord.com
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