CITRUS HEIGHTS, Calif. — Citrus Heights City Hall is open Friday for the dozens of people affected after a fire knocked out power to 190 mobile homes in Citrus Heights.
The power outage happened in the middle of an extreme heat wave. The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District said it anticipates more people needing shelter through the day as there's no estimated time power will return.
According to the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District, crews were at Imperial Mobile Home Park Thursday night with the Sacramento County Office of Emergency Services and the Citrus Heights Police Department providing resources and evacuating residents to areas with air conditioning. Officials said upward of two dozen adults are being taken by bus or car to Citrus Heights City Hall.
Battalion Chief Parker Wilbourn said some people are choosing not to evacuate, but crews are still going door to door encouraging people to leave.
"Knowing the power was knocked out that's a major factor. We've gone, for the last couple of weeks now, through an extreme heat crisis... It was about 112 degrees, my last check, around the time of this fire," Wilbourn said. "We know that people that do have pre-existing conditions are more susceptible to heat-related illness and it happens very rapidly."
Fire officials said an electrical transformer fire shut off power to all 190 mobile homes, and power is not expected to be restored before the heat returns Friday.
The blaze was reported as a tree fire just after 6:30 p.m. Wilbourn said multiple trees and transformers were seen on fire. SMUD says its initial findings show the fire started from failed or damaged customer equipment and it spread to the transformer.
Officials said the situation poses a significant risk to the elderly and disabled due to the heat.
The heat wave turned deadly over the weekend after 58-year-old Kevin Gerhardt collapsed on the floor of his trailer home Saturday when the temperature reached 113 degrees.
The extreme heat isn't over quite yet for Northern California. Find the forecast in your area HERE.
WATCH ALSO:
