Many animals, some in cages, rescued from Crystal River home fire caused by unattended outside burning
Photos courtesy of CCFR.
Crystal River, Florida - At 10:52 am on Tuesday, November 7, 2023, Citrus County Fire Rescue responded to a W. Arter St., Crystal River residence due to the report of a fire.
Firefighters arrived on scene to find an unoccupied double wide manufactured home involved with fire, and a small brush fire at the rear of the residence.
Numerous animals were found on the property and inside the residence. Crews began extinguishing the fire and removing animal cages from the front porch that contained cats, ferrets, and rabbits, so that firefighters could make entry to the inside of the structure.
According to a fire rescue press release, no utilities were connected to the property, and the fire was primarily on the side of the residence, which had spread to the attic area.
Neighbors advised firefighters that many animals were inside the residence. Firefighters located and removed four dogs and one ferret from inside the home, along with the ones found in cages on the porch.
Additional searches of the home turned up no people or additional animals inside it.
Fire personnel performed life-saving measures on two of the dogs until Citrus County Sheriff’s Office Animal Control officers arrived on scene to transport them to Countryside Animal Clinic.
The fire was brought under control as of 11:13 am. Crews rotated through until the fire was completely extinguished. Once the fire was under control, extensive overhaul was conducted due to the fire entering the open space between the roof and ceiling. After the overhaul and mop up, the last unit cleared the scene at 1:13 pm.
Neighbors advised firefighters that a burn pile of debris had been burning all morning at the rear of the residence. A burn pile was found approximately 30 feet from the rear of the residence. The home's occupant told fire rescue personnel that he'd left the property while the debris fire was still burning.
The residence was a total loss. No injuries were reported.
Firefighters from the Connell Heights, Homosassa, Pine Ridge, Kensington, and Hernando fire stations responded to the scene, along with a rescue unit.
Outside Burning Safety Tips
Never leave a fire unattended; escaped debris burning is one of the leading causes of wildfires in Florida. Be sure a fire is completely out before you leave an area where a fire is burning. Keep a water hose and/or shovel handy, in case your fire escapes onto surrounding brush. If your fire escapes, you may be liable for the costs of fire suppression and damages to the property of other people.
About Citrus County Fire Rescue (CCFR)
Citrus County Fire Rescue can be contacted 24/7 in an emergency within Citrus County, Florida by dialing 911. For information about Citrus County Fire Rescue, call (352) 527-5406 or visit www.CitrusCountyFire.com, Twitter.com/CitrusCoFire, or Facebook.com/CitrusCountyFireRescue.