In Fort Myers, Florida, it was revealed that strong winds and a substantial amount of belongings complicated efforts to extinguish a house fire on Monday night.
The fire was reported at the intersection of Arlington Street and Jefferson Avenue around 6 o’clock. Smoke from the blaze was visible from as far away as the Mid Point Bridge.
Although firefighters arrived at the scene within five minutes, a neighbor had already intervened to rescue homeowner Howard Beck.
“It started crackling in the carport, and it didn’t trip the breaker,” Beck recounted to Fox 4’s Community Correspondent for Fort Myers, Anvar Ruziev.
While the exact cause of the fire remains unclear, firefighters mentioned that the State Fire Marshal had to conduct an investigation due to an injury sustained by a firefighter who was subsequently hospitalized. The severity of the injuries was not immediately known.
The fire chief at the scene noted that assessing the fire was particularly challenging due to the home’s status as a “hoarder house,” filled with belongings.
Firefighters also cited strong, shifting winds that exacerbated the situation by causing the fire to spread erratically.
