A woman died, and four family members were hospitalized—three in critical condition—after a fire destroyed their mobile home in Lewisville.
Lewisville firefighters were called to the Eagle Ridge Mobile Home Park on Holfords Prairie Road around 2:38 a.m. on Wednesday and arrived to find the single-wide manufactured home engulfed in flames, Chief Mark McNeal said.
One person had escaped and told crews that four others, including a child, remained inside.
Firefighters entered through windows after flames blocked the doors. Three of the four pulled from the burning structure were in cardiac arrest, McNeal said. Crews performed CPR on scene and revived two of them.
All five occupants were taken to area hospitals. The mother later died, while two adults remained in critical condition, as of Thursday. A child was listed as stable, and another adult was released.
McNeal called the rescue a “maximum effort” and noted the blaze burned hot and fast through the center of the home, trapping people in bedrooms at both ends. He said the fire appeared accidental, but the exact cause remains under investigation.
Friends said the family is members of the band La Flama de Tierra Caliente, known for bringing “a lot of joy with their music” in the local Mexican community and back in Mexico.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, the band identified two of the family members and asked for prayers.
“Today is a very difficult day, one that will be remembered forever. This morning, the Silver family is going through a very tough time due to a serious accident. We ask everyone to join us in prayer for the quick recovery of Chuy Plata and Noé Plata vocalists of La Flama de Tierra Caliente and for their relatives who were also seriously injured,” the post read.
Neighbor Aidet Hernandez said she watched security-camera footage with her husband and saw the home erupt in flames. She recalled the father outside screaming that his family was trapped.
“He was trying to look for them… he couldn’t find them. Too much smoke,” Hernandez said, WFAA reported.
She fought back tears, remembering plans for a Thanksgiving gathering.
“Her last message to me was, ‘I work on Thursday, and I get off at 4 in the afternoon, just let me know what you want me to bring for the gathering,’” Hernandez said, per WFAA. “Now we are not even going to be able to celebrate Thanksgiving.”
Neal urged residents to check smoke detectors, especially with the increased use of heaters and holiday decorations. He said investigators found no evidence of working detectors in the home.
A GoFundMe Page has been set up for one of the victims of the fire, identified as Joanna Plata.
“On the early morning of November 26, a sudden and devastating tragedy struck the Plata family, changing their lives forever. A fire broke out in their home, and in the chaos and heartbreak that followed, Joanna lost her mother and her little sister,” the site reads. “Their passing has left a pain that words can barely describe. Joanna’s uncle is currently in intensive care, fighting for his life, and her brother is still in the hospital receiving treatment. This family is experiencing every person’s worst nightmare—losing loved ones while still trying to survive and process what happened.”
As of Friday morning, the funding page has raised more than $30,600 of its $35,000 goal.