Family Of 5 Displaced By Fire

SEBRING - A candle left burning in a religious artifact was cited by State Fire Marshal Det. Jeff Batz as the cause of a fire that broke out at 3812 Ramiro St., in the Sun 'n Lake of Sebring Improvement District, shortly after 9:30 p.m. Thursday.

"The fire was accidental," said State Fire Marshal spokesman Lt. Brandon Ball on Friday morning. "A religious artifact with a candle on it was adjacent to plastic vertical blinds. The candle stayed on all the time."

The lit artifact was a way of giving thanks for a successful surgery for a family member, he said.
The fire was pretty much a total loss with $150,000 to $200,000 damage, Ball added.

Firefighters with the Sun n' Lake of Sebring, West Sebring and Highlands Lakes volunteer fire departments fought the fire. Volunteers with the Highlands County American Red Cross were called to the scene at about 12:15 a.m., said Art Harriman, service director.

The fire displaced a family of five, Orlando Perez, 36, and his wife Mayling Perez, their two boys ages 10 and 3, and their grandmother.

"The home was totally destroyed," Harriman said. "No one was hurt; no one happened to be home. The grandma took the two children to Wal-Mart, the wife was getting (gasoline) and the husband was at work."

The fire caused a propane tank on a gas grill to explode, Harriman added.

"They just finished renovating it and put in a new kitchen," he said. "It was very sad."

American Red Cross volunteers provided the family with temporary shelter, personal hygiene kits, emergency assistance for food and clothing. The family also received referrals to other agencies.

"We would like to encourage anyone who has religious artifacts of any kind with open flames (candles) to keep them away from combustible materials or to put them out when they're not supervised," Ball said.