Two mobile homes collapse under snow in Madera County, crews preparing for another storm

MADERA COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- State resources have been called in to secure a mobile home park in Madera County that was placed under mandatory evacuation due to heavy snow o n Monday.

Now, officials are working to prepare for the next incoming storm.

"This is a disaster," said Buzz Clark, a resident of the Sierra Springs Village in Bass Lake.

He and his wife are just a two of a handful of people who stayed behind when a mandatory evacuation order was issued Sunday.

"We've been without power, I think today is day 12," Clark said.

Looking around the park, you can see why the order was issued.

Multiple carports have collapsed under the weight of the snow.

And, so far, two homes have also collapsed.

Clark says he escaped his own awning falling, just moments after he brought in firewood.

"If I would've been under there I would've been dead," Clark said.

Peter and Bonnie Gingell left during a voluntary evacuation last Wednesday after days without water and power.

"I looked at Peter and said I need a break from this, so we have to go," Bonnie said.

Now, with no estimated time on when the evacuation order will be lifted, and another incoming storm, the wait has been agonizing.

"The not knowing is the biggest thing because we don't know if we've got a house to go back to." Peter said.

Madera County Sheriff Tyson Pogue is the Director of Emergency Services for the county.

He says six storms have slammed the area since the start of the year straining resources and the community.

"This is an unprecedented snowfall which the likes of Madera County has never seen before, so some of the impacts of it were were unknown," Sheriff Pogue said.

Now, with another big storm on the way, he says the county is working to prepare as best it can.

The county has utilized the state resources by sending Cal Fire crews to the evacuated mobile home park to assess the situation and try to make homes safe for people to re-enter.

The county is also preparing sandbags and staging equipment to deal with potential flooding.

"Maybe government doesn't get out there in front of the camera as much as we should really let the public know. 'Hey, this is what we've been doing on the back end.' But, you know, rest assured we are out there. We are working," Sheriff Pogue said.

Those who live in the mobile home park are, understandably, concerned about the incoming storm.

They say if rain hits while snow is still on the roof of their homes, they believe their roofs will collapse under the weight.

Sheriff Pogue is urging residents across the county to prepare for the incoming storm.

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