A family of five was displaced Tuesday morning when a kitchen fire started at a stove and spread into a microwave and kitchen cabinets. ...more

January 28, 2009

American Red Cross volunteers helped a family of five who lost their home to fire on Christmas Eve, according to Phil Attinger with the American Red Cross Polk County chapter. ...more

December 26, 2008

The state Fire Marshal's Office on Monday blamed the explosive mixture of four bug bombs and a gas pilot light on a hot water heater for an accidental fire that broke out Friday at a Sebring Parkway home. ...more

August 5, 2008

SEBRING — A family of four were left without a place to live Friday morning, after a kitchen fire broke out in their Spring Lake home. The family of Adolfo Nunez-Rey, at 6101 Wilson Terrace, his wife, another adult and a 3-year-old child, was helped by the American Red Cross of Highlands County. "Volunteers provided the family - three adults and one child - with temporary shelter, personal hygiene kits, emergency assistance for food and clothing, odor-control concentrate cleaner to help with salvaging items from the home, a Red Cross clean-up kit, landlord verification forms to assist in relocation, and Publix gift cards donated by Florida's Blood Centers," wrote Phil Attinger, Public Relations Director for the Polk County American Red Cross chapter. ...more

June 18, 2008

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." ...more

May 30, 2008

SEBRING — American Red Cross Service Director for Highlands County, Art Harriman, celebrated the 127th anniversary today, of the national chapter's founding by attending a business meeting. Glenn Fowler, service delivery specialist said the local Red Cross has been providing local disaster relief for 76 years since 1932. "This office has responded to as many single family fires so far this year at 46 as we have in any other year previous," he said. ...more

May 21, 2008

An early morning off-campus fire closed Sebring Middle School, damaged a plumbing business and beauty shop, and displaced 21 people. ...more

November 30, 2007

SEBRING — A dryer fire call to 332 Spring Lake Blvd., in Sebring, was answered by the Lorida and DeSoto City volunteer fire departments at about 9:15 p.m. Wednesday. The fire was put out immediately, said Lorida Assistant Chief Swen Swenson on Thursday. The fire was contained to the garage area and no one was injured, he said. When firefighters arrived they pulled the dryer outside and began ventilating the home, which sustained some smoke damage. By 3 a.m. American Red Cross volunteers arrived to help the family of seven. An American Red Cross Disaster Action Team volunteer with the office in Highlands arrived to provide help for the family of five adults and two children. The Red Cross was able to provide temporary shelter, emergency assistance for groceries, comfort kits (hygiene kits), teddy bears to help comfort the children and odor-control concentrated cleaner to help salvage items in the home. ...more

November 29, 2007

Noise from an early morning fire roused a Lake Placid couple from their sleep, enabling them to escape from their home unharmed. ...more

September 13, 2007