On the evening of Tuesday, June 25, a devastating fire broke out in a single-wide mobile home on CR 2198 in Tarkington. The fire was reported around 7:45 p.m.
According to Tarkington VFD Chief Paul Gregory, upon arrival, Tarkington firefighters found flames emerging from the central part of the home. Tarkington firefighter Doc Sikes was the first to enter the blazing structure. Inside, he discovered an elderly woman who had tragically succumbed to the intense heat and smoke. Sikes managed to pull her to a window, where other firefighters arrived to assist.
Sikes also located a 9-month-old girl inside a crib in a bedroom. Despite the raging fire, he attempted to pull the child’s crib toward a window to rescue her.
Fellow firefighters helped with hoses to control the fire, allowing Sikes to remove the child from the burning home. Unfortunately, both the elderly woman and the infant had already succumbed to the fire.
Grieving family members gathered at the scene as firefighters and emergency responders continued their efforts. Pct. 6 Justice of the Peace Ralph Fuller was called to conduct an inquest and order autopsies. The names of the victims are being withheld to allow time for family notifications.
The fire departments from Tarkington, Cleveland, and Cypress Lakes responded to the emergency. Liberty County Fire Marshal Bill Hergemueller, along with the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office and Allegiance EMS, also arrived to assist.
Hergemueller stated that the State Fire Marshal’s Office has been contacted to help with the investigation.
This is heartbreaking, I’m so very sorry for the family.