Published: June 23, 2009 04:55 pm      

One killed, one injured in mobile home fire

Clermont — A young boy was killed and his mother rushed to Wishard Hospital in Indianapolis after the first fatal residential fire in Brownsburg’s district since 1997.

Brownsburg Fire Territory was dispatched early Saturday morning to respond to the Clermont Mobile Home Park for a reported mobile home fire with possible entrapment.

“The crews arrived to find the mobile home heavily involved,” said Lt. Ryan Miller, public information officer for the Brownsburg Fire Territory.

In addition, when the teams arrived, they found an injured female near the front of the home advising that her son was still inside the residence. Fire crews entered the residence to begin searching for the victim and to attack the fire.

“Crews that were attacking the fire were able to knock it back,” Miller said. “Because of the size of the mobile home, there was already substantial damage.”

The victim of the fire, 13-year-old Tyler Hensley, was found in a rear bedroom of the residence. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The boy’s mother, Jennifer Murphy, who was injured in the fire, was transported via ambulance to Wishard. She has since been released.

The boy’s step-father, Matt Murphy, was the only other person home at the time of the fire, and he was not injured.

Miller said it did not appear that the mobile home was equipped with smoke detectors.

Responding to the fire were Brownsburg Fire Territory, Wayne Township Fire, Pittsboro Fire, Avon Fire, and Danville Fire. Personnel from Brownsburg Fire Territory, the Hendricks County Sheriff’s Department, Hendricks County Coroner’s office, and the Indiana State Fire Marshal’s office were also on the scene to assist with the investigation.

Investigators have determined that the fire was caused by an overloaded electrical circuit. They said they found several items, including fans and an air conditioner, that were all connected to the same circuit.

He said a group of neighbors were planning to establish a fund to help the family, but no further information on that was available as of press time.



ryan.palencer@flyergroup.com