Just before dawn on a frigid and cold Wednesday, more specifically February 4th at 5:15 AM, units from the department were dispatched to the report of a structure fire at 4247 Turton Avenue near Trout River in the city's north-west quadrant. Upon arrival, first-due Engine Company 24, along with Ladder 34 rolling in directly behind them, reported that a mobile home at the end of this cul-de-sac was completely engulfed in flame, literally from top to bottom and side to side. Huddled outside in the chilly wind were several people, all anxiously exclaiming that someone was still trapped inside of the burning structure. After an exhaustive 50 minute struggle with the raging blaze, propelled by a seemingly endless supply of combustible fuels and high winds and made even more difficult by the distinct paucity of hydrants within the immediate area, the fire was finally subdued and called under control. It was then that both the tragic and the positive outcome of the scenario became clear to all present on scene. Residing in the mobile home configuration, essentially two single-wide trailers placed together to create one approximation of a double-wide, were 7 individuals: a 62 and 37 year old adult male, two females in their 40's, an 11 year old boy and 6 month old twins, a boy and a girl. Sometime shortly before the actual emergency call, an adult female was awakened by a loud 'popping' noise, with the woman quickly recognizing that a fire had broken out in the front area of the house. Quickly alerting everyone as to the danger now present, the adult females managed to bundle up all of the children and escape through the back door of the home as the front was now already fully involved. It was that specific front area of the mobile home where the 62 year old male was located at and, as would later be determined, also the location of a window unit that had been giving the family periodic problems over the past few weeks. The 37 year old male, also outside of the burning dwelling, attempted to assist the older man trapped in the aforementioned area, but a partial roof collapse coupled with the heavy fire prevented these courageous attempts from achieving even a modicum of success. The final tally from this horrible ordeal was one family member deceased at the scene, the 62 year old male, and another, the 37 year old adult male, transported to Shands Hospital with critical injuries. In addition, the family dog was also lost in the blaze as it was confined to a cage and obviously unable to free itself. Miraculously, however, all other family members, including the children, were able to escape from harm and suffered no injuries of any sort. The investigators at the scene were able to confirm the account of the faulty window unit and ruled the fire therefore as accidental, with the trailer deemed a complete and total loss for the uninsured surviving family members. Also noted during the investigative phase was the fact that although smoke detectors were in the home, none were operational due to either dead or non-existent batteries.
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