A Wednesday afternoon fire that tore through three campers/trailers on Skyline Drive in the Americamps RV park in Bracey, was seen and heard through out the Lake Gaston area.
“I first heard what sounded like two loud booms that reminded me of jets breaking the sound barrier,” said Peggy Donochod, a resident of nearby Holly Grove. “The next thing I heard was a huge explosion and I thought an airplane had crashed.”
Her husband, Dan, was on the opposite side of the house from the fire and said as he ran around he could smell an odor like “rubber burning.”
According to the Donochods, “Flames were shooting way up high and we could see the smoke swirling in the wind coming across the lake.”
Nocarva, N.C. residents, Jo and Fred Taylor live directly across the lake from the site of the explosion. They heard the explosion and felt the ground shake even though they are about three-quarters of a mile away from the site of the blast.
“It was ear-splitting,” said Jo. “The smoke was thick and black and the fire raged from the crest of the hill all the way down to the waterline.”
Officials said they are still trying to figure out what started the fire.
“We don’t know right now,” said Lake Gaston Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Chief Jon Zubrod. “Arson investigators came down, but their report was inconclusive. There was just so much severity of damage it was hard to tell. At present the site is roped off as state arson and insurance company investigators search for clues as to what was the cause of the fire.”
What Zubrod does know is that the fire could have been much, much worse if not for the interdepartmental teamwork displayed by five regional volunteer fire departments (VFD).
“Yesterday’s fire was held in check because of the outstanding mutual aide agreement departments have with each other,” he said. “The Lake Gaston VFD, South Hill VFD and La Crosse VFD were dispatched at 2 p.m. to a call of a camper on fire. By the time we got there the fire had spread to two other campers and they were fully involved. The departments used a two-prong attack to prevent any further continuance of fire.
“They drew a line in the sand and said this is where we will make our stand,” Zubrod continued. “One unit went high and one unit went low and they stopped it by the grace of God.
“We have been working harder and harder on strengthening the team work on the mutual aid side of the departments,” he added. “This is where it kicks in. Thanks go out to all of the departments for doing an excellent job.”
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