Officials say winds 'dramatically' shifted, causing fatal fire at Lakewood mobile home park

LAKEWOOD, Wash. - Victims of the fast-moving brush fire at Jamestown Estates in Lakewood are continuing to pick up the pieces of their lives, little by little.

The community came together Monday to offer clothing and other items to those that lost everything in Friday's devastating, fire that left two men dead and dozens of mobile homes burned. One of the grassroots community donation locations is pictured below. 

The Lakewood Fire Chief spoke Monday night before council. He says the cause is still under investigation and the weather contributed to the spread of the fire. In the meantime, the city manager says that the city is working on trying to get families relocation assistance to get them back on their feet.

"This was kind of like my sister's little play area," said Gadiel Galvez, one of the survivors, as he pointed to a fenced in area that contained melted plastic near what was once his parent's former yard. 

On Monday he showed FOX 13 News crews the blackened shell that remained on the plot his mom, dad and four sisters once called home. An online fundraiser has been set up for the family. 

"You can see her bike; she had a kitchen set up, a little tent, it was everything for her," Galvez said about his four-year-old sister. "Her dollhouse and everything was out there."

Gadiel, his wife and child live in a unit that sits just across the street from his parent's crumbling home. He says, although his own is still standing, he is also dealing with the fire's devastating impacts in his own mobile home, including smoke damage to the family's furniture, baby toys and clothes. A memorial nearby is growing where Gadiel says neighbors ‘Pat’ and ‘Zach’ lost their lives next door. 

RELATED: Neighbors who lost everything in fatal Lakewood fire take stock of damage, remember victims

"It's a very tremendous emotional hit on everyone," said Gadiel. 

Marie, a longtime resident of the park, also lost her home in the fire. She talked to FOX 13 News after stopping by a community donation table Monday to pick up some clothes.  She was at work when the fire broke out, her son was asleep inside.

"He heard some propane tanks explode," Marie told us through a translator. "So, that is why he got out."

She feels grateful that her son made it out.

"She’s thankful to the people who helped and to God that he’s alive," said Gadiel, translating for her. "It saddens her heart that Patrick and his grandchild did not survive."

Monday the Lakewood City Council held a moment of silence for the two men who died. The city manager says more than 20 people remain displaced following the fire.

The School District Board President spoke to the council Monday. She says mental health services and other resources are being offered to a number of students who were impacted.

"We are doing what we can," she said. "It was very devastating."

Fire Chief Jim Sharp briefed city leaders on the response. He said when firefighters first arrived, they were seeing flames of around 20 feet high, causing threats to the Brookridge Apartments on the west side of the fire. He said a shift in the wind changed the firefight. 

"The winds shifted dramatically towards the east, so they were redirected to the mobile home park, for fire control and exposure protection. Firefighters began to evacuate homes while working to slow the fire," said Sharp.

FOX 13 News spoke to Lakewood Mayor Jason Whelan about what's next for the community.

"It’s a really horrible thing for the neighborhood for sure, and we need to work together to see what we can do to improve their lives," said Whalen.

Fire victims claim that a lack of maintenance in the field that initially caught fire was a longtime issue. FOX 13 News asked the mayor if there is anything the city can do to make sure people better maintain their property.

"It’s a possibility, and certainly if that is one of the findings from the Fire Department—the fire chief—we will certainly look into that," said Whalen. 

"Hopefully the justice system will do something about the brush—why it was so big?" said Gadiel. 

He says the tragedy has had far-reaching impacts.

"Now everybody is driving around and tearing up, just by seeing it," said Gadiel. 

As of Monday morning, the city manager said not all the mobile home units had power restored. He says a temporary generator was being brought in for the remaining units.