Victims identified in fatal fire at a Keizer senior mobile home park

Virginia Barreda
Statesman Journal

Police have identified the man and his dog who died after a mobile home fire Sunday morning at a senior living community in Keizer.

Rainbow Gardens Mobile Village residents Mate Mezei, 62, his wife Maria Mezei, 59, and their two dogs were at home when their single-wide mobile home, at 1139 Chemawa Loop NE, burst into flames. 

Neighbors Dan Garcher, 57, and Linda Garcher, 54, saw the flames around 5:30 a.m. after they were awakened by a barking dog.  

They called 911, and firefighters arrived on scene in four minutes. 

Maria Mezei and one dog were able to escape, but Maria suffered serious injuries. She is recovering at the hospital. 

A fire at a mobile home park in Keizer killed a man and his dog Sunday morning.

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Dan Garcher tried to rescue Mate but was pushed back by smoke and fire. Mate and his dog died in the fire. 

Garcher sustained injuries during the rescue and was also taken to the hospital. 

Linda Garcher assisted Maria Mezei.

The Keizer Fire District and the State Fire Marshal’s Office are still investigating the cause of the fire. 

Investigators comb through debris after a fatal fire tore through a mobile home park in Keizer.

Virginia Barreda is the Breaking News Reporter for the Statesman Journal. She can be reached at 503-399-6657 or at vbarreda@statesmanjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter at @vbarreda2. 

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