SNOHOMISH — It may be months before investigators determine the cause of the fire that killed a family of four last week.
About 120 people gathered at St. Michael’s Catholic Church on Wednesday night to meet with fire, police and Red Cross representatives.
After a fire at a mobile home killed two Snohomish women and two young children Sept. 30, members of the community were looking for answers.
It’s very important for relatives and other people who live in the trailer park to know what caused the fire, but it’s not an easy question to answer, Snohomish Police Chief John Turner said.
“Unfortunately, we are still unable to make an accurate determination of the source of the fire. Fire investigation is a very difficult process,” he said.
Even though he may not have all the answers he’d hoped for, Jesse Barajas said it was healing to get any information Wednesday. Barajas, who lives in Snohomish, said he is part of the extended family of the victims. The tragic deaths awoke the entire community, he said.
“It’s hard for everybody, but people learned a lot of lessons through this tragedy,” he said.
Red Cross volunteer counselors also were at the meeting to help people cope with stress and anxiety. Chuck Wright, a local mental health professional, said a lot of people in the community must be dealing with anxiety and fear.
“That happens to you because you are a human being. That’s a normal reaction to a tragedy like this. Please don’t keep that inside,” Wright told the crowd.
He urged those in the audience to turn to each other for support and to share their feelings.
The victims were Maria “Sandra” Montaño, 28; her daughters Ashley, 7, and Yareli, 4; and her sister, Petra “Claudia” Montaño, 25.
According to a report from Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office, all died from smoke inhalation.
The deceased were parishioners at the church. Family members plan a Mass for them tonight. The funeral is open to the public.
The remains will be cremated and sent back to Mexico, said Miguel Angel Montaño, whose sisters and nieces died in the fire.
The community helped raise the money for the funeral. The family is no longer seeking donations, he said.
Some people in the audience didn’t know those who died but said they were affected nonetheless.
Lowell and Kathy Braaten said they came to the meeting to find out what happened and support the community. The Snohomish couple, who are also members of the church, said they wanted to offer their support to those who lost their loved ones.
“We all really need some information. It will calm everybody down,” Kathy Braaten said.
Turner said a team of experts is working hard to determine the cause of the fire, but it takes time to evaluate all of the evidence that was gathered.
“We are in the process of exploring every possible way that fire may have been caused. Please don’t expect the final answer soon,” he said.
Officials encouraged people to make their homes safer.
Anyone who wants his or her home inspected by a specialist can get that service free of charge, Snohomish Fire official Sharon Pettit said.
A sign-up sheet also was available for people who need smoke detectors.
It’s the simple safety measures that often safe lives, Snohomish Fire Chief Mark Collins said.
He said mobile homes can be especially prone to fire hazards.
Countywide, there are roughly 18,000 mobile or manufactured homes, mostly in unincorporated areas, county property records show. Like the 40-year-old mobile home where the Snohomish family died, nearly one in five in the county was built before 1976, when government standards went into place to improve fire safety.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
