BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)– It has been nearly three weeks since a fire tore through the Edison Mobile Home Trailer Park, killing two women and sparking a homicide investigation.
19 days later, the people living there are still without power and forced to celebrate Christmas in the dark.
Sara Wilters lived next to the trailer that went up in flames. She lost both her cars and her home in the fire.
“I had heard some sounds that sounded like water hitting the trailer, so I turned around and seen a bright orange color, went and opened my door and the fire was already to my cars,” said Wilters. “Both my cars that were in front of my trailer.”
Wilters’ neighbor, Tommy Maher, lived in the trailer with the two women who died in the fire but wasn’t there that night
He knows them as Amber and Lori, but the coroner hasn’t identified the victims. The trailer is now just ash and painful memories for Maher.
“Lori hadn’t had a real Christmas in 20 years. The night before this happened we just went down and bought everything for a Christmas tree…she was so happy about that,” said Maher.
Theresa Gonzales also lost her trailer in the fire, escaping before it reached her walls.
“We need a lot of blankets, water, we especially need power,” said Gonzales. “Cause there are a lot of people with health issues that need breathing treatments or anything like that.”
The park resides in the county’s 2nd supervisorial district.
After reaching out to Supervisor Chris Parlier, flood ministries was sent out to the park on Friday to get a head count on people who want to be relocated. 40 people accepted assistance from Flood Ministries, and 34 trailer owners want relocation assistance. The non-profit is sending a call to service email out to shelters for available bed space. It’s also setting up a mobile hot shower on Monday.
Parlier sent a letter saying the county will work on restoring power, and that staff will meet with agency partners in the coming days and weeks to strategize ways to rebuild.
The sheriff’s office says the homicide investigation into the fire is still ongoing. Anyone is welcome to donate items to keep residents warm.
There are also various GoFundMe accounts set up for residents. Those are linked here, here, and here.