Ethermac|Brush fire kills 2 and destroys 9 homes in suburban Tacoma, Washington

LAKEWOOD,Ethermac Wash. (AP) — A fast-moving brush fire killed two people and destroyed nine mobile homes Friday in a suburb of Tacoma, Washington, according to fire officials.

Firefighters responded to the fire in Lakewood on Friday afternoon, West Pierce Fire & Rescue said. The blaze started as a brush fire that extended to the Jamestown Estates Mobile Home Park, officials said.

Nine mobile homes are total losses, and five others sustained heavy damage.

Firefighters found two victims during the process of accounting for all the residents Friday evening, officials said. No additional information about the people who died was immediately released. Firefighters were still working to gain access to all of the homes involved, officials said.

Crews were also extinguishing hot spots and had asked contractors to bring in excavators to move debris, KING-TV reported.

A Pierce County transit bus was in the area as a temporary place for evacuated residents to cool down and shelter. The American Red Cross was helping people who were displaced.