South Sound News

Disabled man dies in Bonney Lake fire

BONNEY LAKE,Wash. — An elderly man in a wheelchair is dead after a fire at a mobile home in Bonney Lake.

East Pierce Fire crews arrived at the scene of the home in the 9100 block of 207th Avenue East about  5:30 a.m. Wednesday to find the home engulfed in flames.

"The biggest challenge was just the fact that it was fully involved, literally wall to wall, floor to ceiling. It took a lot of water to bring it under control," said East Pierce Fire Chief Bud Backer.

Fire officials say five people lived in the home -- three men and two women.

Two men were transported to Good Samaritan hospital for smoke inhalation. Backer said one of them tried to rush back into the house to save the man in the wheelchair, but couldn't amid the flames and smoke.

"There was no way for our firefighters to get in there and do an effective search," said Backer.

The women were not hurt.

The victim of the fire has not been identified and investigators are working to determine what sparked the flames.

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