The wife and three children of a Washington state firefighter have died in a fire at their home just hours after they moved in while he battled a wildfire in Washington state.
Firefighter Raul Garcia-Santos of Benton City, Washington lost his entire family in a fire at around 1 am on August 27th in the Green Acres Mobile Home and RV Park.
Deputies discovered four dead bodies inside the trailer house, a dead body of 32-year-old Marcaria Garcia-Martinez, 17-year-old Luz Garcia-Martinez, 15-year-old Luis Garcia-Martinez, and a 5-year-old Michelle Garcia-Martinez.
Chief Ron Duncan, of Benton County Fire Protection District, said that there was nothing that they could do. They said the fire was so big that one nearby resident also caught on fire, but they evacuated their home.
The front of their house was burnt beyond recognition, firefighters quell the fire before it reaches the back section.
Investigators are trying to find out the cause of the fire, according to the authorities, the fire may have started where the kitchen or living room is located, but the cause of the fire is still yet to be discovered. Authorities also revealed that there were no working smoke detectors inside the house.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, almost every three out of five fire deaths are happening because 40% of homes are without any smoke detectors, and 17% of homes have smoke alarms that are not working.
Firefighter Raul Garcia-Santos was 200 miles away in Okanogan County, fighting the Palmer Fire when he learned the news about his family. The fire has reached across 17,988 acres and required more crew members various emergencies and wildlife organizations to finish the fire.
According to the autopsy report, all of the victims died due to smoke inhalation.
Last Thursday, on the behalf of Raul Garcia-Santos, a donation page was made to cover up the expenses of the funeral of his family. More than 500 people have donated and were able to gather $25,000 in just a week.
The entire community is mourning the loss of the family, and they are sharing their condolences on social media.