Firefighters returned to the scene in the late morning for a rekindle
(Photo: Anthony Lucarelli)
VILLAGE OF FLORIDA – One person died in a fire that consumed a
house at 129 Hunt Drive in the Village of Florida early New Year’s
morning.
The four-alarm fire broke out around 1:30 a.m. with several Orange County
fire departments called in to fight the flames in the sub-zero weather,
which caused problems in fighting the blaze, said Fire Chief Ronald Heter.
“Temperatures are always tough this time of year. When you in the
low negatives, anytime you are doing water supply, we needed salt trucks.
It was tough on the members, tough on gear, tough on tools,” he
said.
By 4:30 a.m., fire control reported the main body of the blaze had been
knocked down as firefighting operations continued. Firefighters were called
back when there was a rekindle later in the morning.
At the height of the fire some 40 volunteers were on the scene, the chief
said. There were no firefighters injured.
