DALLAS — Arson investigators have arrested and charged a woman in Dallas after a deadly fire burned out of control and spread quickly to several homes.
According to Dallas Fire-Rescue, crews responded to the fire at the mobile home in the 2600 block of Lombardy Lane shortly before 6:30 a.m. and said they found fire coming from the back of a mobile home and two vehicles.
Gary Fisher told WFAA he was awakened by a loud noise outside his mobile home. He suspected it had something to do with a woman he said had been coming around his home despite being told she was not welcome there anymore.
“We have had trouble with her before," said Fisher.
The fire spread to a second mobile home and two more vehicles, which led to a two-alarm response, officials said.
Firefighters found a man unresponsive in one of the homes and he was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to Dallas Fire-Rescue. The man wasn't identified.
Fisher said he is thankful to be alive and not surprised about the woman who investigators said admitted to setting the deadly fire. Some of his neighbors shared snapshots with WFAA that showed flames raging through his mobile home filling it with smoke.
“The room was full of smoke," Fisher explained. "I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t see."
Officials said three dogs also died in the fire. Two of the dogs belonged to Gary, who said he had to get out of his home with just the clothes he was wearing because of the fast-moving flames.
“I got the back door open. There were no steps to go down, so I fell to the ground. Ambers were coming down on top of me," said Fisher.
According to Dallas Fire-Rescue, firefighters worked to extinguish the flames for two hours before declaring an "out taps" around 8:40 a.m. At least 4 out of 6 mobile homes involved sustained fire damage, officials said.
Fire personnel notified the American Red Cross to assist at least 14 people impacted by the fire as it scorched or melted everything in its path.
Gary is self-employed and relies on his truck to make money. But with his car also being burned in the fire he is left without any transportation at all.
On Saturday afternoon, one of his neighbors not impacted by the fire made sandwiches for him since he had not eaten all day. Throughout the afternoon, his neighbors salvaged what they could after the fire.
The owner of the mobile home park brought in a generator so nearby residents would have access to electricity. Despite all of Gary's belongings outside and inside his mobile home being destroyed or severely damaged by the fire, he went back inside to retrieve one more item he considers most important.
“My son’s ashes," said Fisher. "My son who died and passed away. I was able to get his ashes. That’s a steel urn they put his ashes in. It wasn’t going to melt that."
By Saturday early evening, Gary noticed that he was having trouble breathing. The same neighbor who prepared food for him also took him to the emergency room to get checked out by a doctor. Just like Gary, she hopes the woman responsible for the deadly fire is held accountable.
This is a developing story. WFAA will update this story as additional information becomes available.