Deadly Harris fire incident detailed in report

SAN DIEGO -- Firefighters battling to save a home from last month’s Harris fire were so overwhelmed that they took refuge in their fire engine, only to see the flames blow out the windows and fill the cab with smoke and fire, according to a preliminary report of the incident released Thursday by the state forestry department.

The fire at the rural mobile home in Potrero left one man dead and four firefighters and a juvenile badly burned, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection summary, which is the most detailed account yet of the deadly incident.

The report describes a heroic effort turned tragic by rough terrain, fast-moving flames fueled by 51-mph wind gusts, and the fatal decision of one man to try to save his home.

The report, called a Green Sheet, doesn’t identify civilians. But the incident took place at the residence of Thomas Varshok, a 52-year-old geological engineer who died in the blaze. His 15-year-old son remains in critical condition at the UC San Diego Regional Burn Unit.

The incident occurred in the early hours of the Harris fire, which ignited about 9:37 a.m. on Oct. 21. Within two hours, the fire had consumed thousands of acres in the rugged backcountry along the U.S.-Mexico border and was threatening Varshok’s home.

The four firefighters assigned to Engine 3387, the report said, were on California 94 when the man and a juvenile asked them to help save the home. The unit’s captain advised the civilians to evacuate the area. Instead, they followed the engine in an all-terrain vehicle, according to the report.

After their ATV broke down, the report said, the two were instructed to stay in the fire engine while the firefighters tried to save the home.

Seeing the home erupt in smoke and flames, the captain ordered the firefighters to get back into the engine. But their exit route down the narrow driveway was blocked by a tractor, the report said. The captain said he saw a civilian operating the tractor just before getting in the engine.

With flames licking at the side of the vehicle, the captain tried to back out another way, but a lack of oxygen cut off the motor. Inside the cab, two firefighters tried to cover the windows with fire shelters, but the windows broke due to the heat, the report said.

The firefighters and the boy ran to safety as flames engulfed the vehicle, according to the report.

The adult civilian was found dead near the front of the destroyed engine, according to the report.

The four firefighters -- who suffered severe to critical burns -- were airlifted to the burn unit, where two are in good condition and one remains in critical condition. One firefighter has been released from the hospital.

The forestry department eventually will release a full report of the incident, officials said.

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richard.marosi@latimes.com