By Andy Sevilla.
Authorities have yet to release the identity of two persons who died in an early-morning fire Jan. 7 that ravaged a mobile home in unincorporated Hays County, in between San Marcos, Kyle and Wimberley.
Hays County Fire Marshall Mark Chambers said in a telephone interview yesterday that his office is waiting on DNA evidence to identify the two charred middle-aged victims. He said authorities believe they know the identity of the victims, but are awaiting positive DNA confirmation.
“We think we know who it is, but we until we know for certain who it is we’re not releasing any information,” Chambers said. He would not confirm whether next of kin were notified for either victim.
At top: An early morning fire on January 7 destroyed a mobile home in San Marcos and left two people dead. There were no smoke alarms in the home and no foul play is suspected. (Photo courtesy of South Hays Fire Dept.) |
Hays County officials said no foul play is suspected, as the investigation did not uncover any criminal or suspicious activity in the mobile home fire in the 300 block of Oak Meadows Drive, near Hilliard Road.
“The circumstances at the trailer home were such that an exact cause of fire is still under investigation,” Chambers said Jan. 8 in a statement. “We have additional work before a definitive cause can be determined. We have not found any signs of an intentionally set fire at this time.”
In an interview yesterday, Chambers said the cause of the fire remains undetermined, saying, “Until we can definitively call it, we’re not going to release anything.”
He said investigators are looking at two, possibly three, sources of ignition. However, in the statement his office released Jan. 8, Chambers said the mobile home had electrical concerns and an active wood-burning stove at the time of the fire, which could have contributed to starting a fire.
According to Chambers, all three potential causes were accidental, “nothing intentional.”
He also said no smoke alarms were found in the home.
“Unfortunately it takes a tragedy to bring attention to this, but early detection is very important,” Chambers said in the telephone interview. “Every residence, every sleeping area should have smoke alarms installed. This residence did not have smoke alarms.”
Authorities were notified of the mobile home fire at about 2:30 a.m. on Jan. 7. The two bodies discovered inside the home were transported to the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy and identification, according to officials.
Chambers said he believes the home blaze was contained within an hour. The South Hays Fire Department, aided by the San Marcos and Kyle fire departments, was able to contain the fire to that one structure. Chambers said the home was a complete loss and no other homes or property were damaged.
