DAVIDSON, Okla_A tragic story
out of Tillman County where a man died after his
trailer caught fire in the middle of the night.
Investigators
have identified the victim as 42 year old Geronimo Rodriguez. He lived in a
small travel trailer that was parked in his parents' back yard, right beside
their house.
By the time
firefighters arrived, the flames had already spread to their roof. Luckily, a
family member lives just three blocks away and saw the fire and came to the
rescue.
George Enriquez
said he had been up talking with his father on his front porch around the time
the blaze started. He said he heard a loud pop, looked up and saw flames shoot
up in the air. Without hesitation he and his father jumped in a truck and sped
in the fire's direction to help.
"There was
a loud hiss like a jet going on and we saw fire. My dad and I went over there
and realized it was one of my family members."
They quickly
woke up Geronimo's parents and got them out of the house before the fire spread
further. Neighbors told him they had already called the fire department and let
him know Geronimo Rodriguez was still inside the burning trailer.
"He had
locked the door and I guess he had already passed away from the smoke. We just
tried to get him out we didn't want him to just burn there," Enriquez
said,
"I just
tried to put the fire out with the water hose and tried my hardest until the
fire department came."
When fire
officials arrived the fire had already engulfed the trailer and had moved to
the top of the roof in the back of the house. Within minutes it spread and
destroyed the rest of the home.
Their grandson,
Steven Rodriguez, and his younger brother lived in the house with them but
since school has been out they have been living with their father in Lawton. Now the family is
just busy trying to console those that made it out alive.
"My grandparents
are taking it a little harder than we are just because they were here and they
saw everything happen."
The fire
inspector said they are still investigating exactly how the fire could have
started. They said right now so much has burnt that it will take a while before
they have an answer.
A special
account has been set up for the Rodriguez family. If you would like to help,
please take your donation to First State Bank at 102 South Main
in Davidson.
