A 76-year-old woman was found dead inside a fifth-wheel trailer parked behind a home in the 1000 block of Third Street in Jackson, Michigan, after fire crews raced to the scene Thursday around 1 p.m. A firefighter suffered minor injuries battling the blaze, was taken to a hospital for treatment, and has since been released. The cause of the fire remains unknown as investigators continue working the scene.
Flames Jumped From Trailer to Garage in Minutes
According to CBS Detroit, police responded to the fire at about 1 p.m. and located the fifth-wheel trailer behind a residence on Third Street. Fire crews responded within minutes, but by the time they arrived, heavy smoke and flames had already spread from the trailer to a detached garage, per the station's report. The woman was found dead inside the trailer once crews were able to get the fire under control.
Both the Jackson Fire Department and the Michigan State Police Fire Investigation Unit are now investigating the cause of the blaze, the outlet reported. The woman's name has not been released. Tim Gonzales is Jackson's police chief. The fire department has 32 emergency personnel split across two stations in the city, according to the City of Jackson website.
National Data on Recreational Vehicle Fires
The fire fits a pattern seen across the country: the U.S. Fire Administration estimates roughly 4,200 recreational vehicle fires happen annually nationwide, with non-self-propelled travel trailers and fifth-wheels accounting for 85% of those incidents and causing an average of 15 civilian deaths each year.
The fire also lands within a broader statewide picture of vulnerability for older residents. The Michigan Bureau of Fire Services, per data compiled by the Michigan Fire Inspectors Society, recorded 106 civilian fire deaths across 90 fires statewide in 2025, with 69% of those who died aged 50 or older. Smoking and electrical faults were the top identified ignition causes in that data, though no cause has been determined in Thursday's Jackson fire.
A Difficult Year for Jackson Fire Crews
This is not the department's first fatal fire this year. Jackson saw two other deadly blazes in early 2026: a February house fire that killed two young children, and a March fire at the Reed Manor apartment complex that killed one resident and displaced 69 families. Both incidents required joint investigations with state officials, according to 95.9 The Power Cow.
Those fires came during a year when the Jackson Fire Department recorded a record 6,643 calls for service and 6,373 apparatus responses, department data published in its annual operational preview shows. The department lists a drone among its services. The City of Jackson Council and Summit Township Board also approved a joint resolution last November to develop a shared fire services model and improve emergency response coordination across municipal boundaries, according to JTV.
Fire Cause Remains Under Investigation
The cause remains under review by both city and state authorities.
