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Highlands Today

Fire Destroys Lorida Home

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By JOE SEELIG

Highlands Today

Published: August 21, 2008

LORIDA - As Fay's winds fanned the flames and tried to blow down the walls, a doublewide manufactured home was destroyed by fire Tuesday, at 617 Serene Lane in Lorida.

Fire crews from Lorida, DeSoto City, West Sebring and Leisure Lakes volunteer fire departments along with the Highlands County Fire Services battled the blaze.

The fire was called in at about 12:30 p.m., said Jimmy Branca, fire operations supervisor with Highlands County Fire Services.

"No one was home at the time of the fire," Branca said at the scene. "It was hard to get out here. The roads were under a foot of water here."

It was unknown it there were any pets inside.

Because the wind was buffeting the walls, firefighters had to tear the walls down to prevent the risk of collapse.

Collapse is one of the greatest risks a firefighter has to face in a fire and the main cause of serious injury, Branca said.

The state Fire Marshal was on the scene Tuesday afternoon conducting an investigation into the cause of the fire. The fire remained under investigation Wednesday, according to Sam Venzeio, public information officer with the state Fire Marshal's Office.

Note: Due to incorrect information provided to Highlands Today, an earlier version of this story contained an incorrect address for the house fire.

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