Fourteen local volunteer firefighters battled a blaze at a trailer in Silver Cliff Tuesday afternoon.

On Feb. 23 authorities were dispatched at 2:30 p.m. to the corner of Butler and Broadway streets for a trailer house on fire.

 Jerry Livengood, who is the assistant fire chief for the Wet Mountain Fire Protection District, said when crews arrived on scene the fire was fully involved.

“Trailers are difficult to extinguish,” said Livengood. “It took us about 40 minutes to get it under control.”

Livengood said the kitchen area located in the center of the building, as well as the attic, were burning, while much of the rest of the house seemed to remain relatively unscathed.

However, said Livengood, “there was significant damage. The fire was in a lot of small interior and exterior places.”

Livengood further noted that while the trailer remains standing, he believes it is no longer habitable. “I believe it is a total loss,” commented Livengood. No cost estimates of damage were available.

Cause of the fire, said Livengood, is thought to be a propane leak.

According to Livengood, Alice French, who has lived in the trailer for a number of years, had called her son, Brad, to help thaw a frozen water line.

Apparently, Brad was using a weed burner, which is a device hooked to a small propane tank, to thaw the water line under the trailer.

“The underside of the trailer caught fire,” said Livengood. “I suspect there was a propane leak under the trailer because Brad reported hearing a ‘whoosh’ immediately before the fire started.”

Livengood also said Alice had mentioned smelling propane a few days before.

When the fire started, Alice and her cats were able to get out of the trailer unharmed.

After getting the fire out, firefighters escorted Alice French inside so she could remove some family heirlooms and personal belongings that were not damaged.

She is currently staying with family and friends.

– Nora Drenner