70-year-old Fresno woman identified as victim in fatal mobile home fire

An elderly woman who was living alone died Tuesday evening when her mobile home caught on fire.

Bob Van Tassel, a Battalion Chief with the Fresno Fire Department, said a large fire broke out just before 6 p.m. at the Villa Fresno Mobile Home Park, located west of Highway 99, and threatened two mobile units.

Firefighters got in position to combat the flames within eight minutes of arrival, Van Tassel said.

But the mobile home was fully engulfed by then and she did not make it out, according to Fresno Fire.

She was identified Wednesday by the Fresno County Coroner’s Office as Karen Wolf, 70, of Fresno.

Neighbors said she was bedridden.

“She was all by herself,” said resident Brian Vasquez, who said he has lived at the mobile home park his entire life. “It’s pretty sad.”

The cause of the fire was under investigation. A Fresno Fire spokesman said investigators believe the fire was started accidentally.

Van Tassel said a man tried to rescue the woman by entering the mobile home, but was driven back out by smoke and flames.

No other injuries were reported.

A total of 24 firefighters, paramedics and police officers were at the scene, all while several residents of the mobile home park watched nearby.

“Because of how much damage there was to the structure right off, it was very difficult to get access (to the elderly woman’s unit),” Van Tassel said. “In addition, there were threats (of fire) in (every direction).”

This story was originally published August 25, 2020 at 9:23 PM.