APOPKA, Fla. — The Apopka house fire that left one dead early Wednesday morning may have been caused by lightning, stated the Orange County Fire Rescue.
- Neighbors say man lived alone
- Flames were seen shooting several feet into the air
- Official: Lightning may have caused fire; investigation ongoing
The fire happened around 2:14 a.m. on the 100 block of Alexandria Place Drive.
Neighbors say a man lived here alone and he was a military vet.
However, Spectrum News 13 does not have confirmation on who exactly the victim is.
The fire also did plenty of damage to the garage area. Cell phone video from neighbors show the moments the fire erupted, sending flames several feet into the air.
One neighbor says after she saw the flames, she called 911.
When Orange County Fire Rescue firefighters arrived, they encountered the flames. Thirty firefighters helped battle the fire and were able to douse the flames.
During their initial search of the one-story home, they discovered the victim in an office in back of the house.
At the moment, investigators are considering the fire an accident and are looking into reports of heavy lightning in the area as a possible cause, explained Mike Jachles, a public information officer with the Orange County Fire Rescue.
The Florida Bureau of Fire and Arson Investigations will look into the cause.
Deputy Communications Director Devin Galetta with the Florida Department of Financial Services confirmed to Spectrum News 13 that the house is listed as a total lose, with damages estimated about $300,000.