By OLIVIA BERGMEIER
Salina Post
Early this morning, Wednesday, April 10, Saline County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a travel trailer on fire in the rural western part of the county.
After investigating the blaze, the Sheriff's Office deemed it suspicious.
Saline County Undersheriff Brent Melander said at about 2:35 a.m., a witness called emergency services after noticing the fire in the 1800 block of West North Street.
"When we arrived, we found what we think to be an 1987 travel trailer, or a pull-behind travel trailer that was fully engulfed in flames," Melander said. "It was parked next to a building that was used as a workshop area, and it appears someone was staying there as well."
Melander said the person staying at the workshop building, a 65-year-old man, safely exited the structure since the flames began to spread to the workshop.
Saline County Rural Fire District Seven responded and subdued the fire, preventing the fire from engulfing the building nearby.
The trailer's owner used it as storage space, so most of the items lost in the fire were personal belongings and clothes.
Due to the ongoing investigation, deputies had not identified the dollar amount of damages from the blaze. The person staying at the workshop had permission to be there but did not own the building.
The investigation continued after sunrise today, with deputies working on verifying the trailer's owner alongside speaking with the workshop building's owner. The Kansas State Fire Marshal's Investigating Unit is assisting with the county's investigation.
"The fire appears to be suspicious in nature," Melander said. "We'll have more information released later."
Salina Post will update the story as more information becomes available.
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