PORT ST. JOHN, Fla. – A fire erupted at a residence on Carrick Road in Port St. John on the afternoon of Dec. 20, causing significant interior damage but no reported injuries.
Homeowner Gabrielle Blanchard was at work when she noticed smoke through her home surveillance system.
“The first thing I saw was something smoking, and I was like, that’s really crazy,” Blanchard said.
The fire is believed to have started with a four-wheeler. Sparks from the four-wheeler reportedly ignited a power line, which then fell, causing the flames to spread to the attic.
Brevard County Fire Rescue said multiple units responded to the fire.
Blanchard could only watch on as she drove home.
“I’m thinking about all these things like how bad is it, are my dogs okay, my kids’ stuff. Like, we have Christmas presents in the house,” Blanchard said.
Upon arriving at the scene, Blanchard found the road blocked by emergency vehicles and ran toward her home.
“I was just looking at the thick black smoke coming up and the inside of the garage. That is all I could see from the road,” Blanchard said.
A neighbor, whom Blanchard had never met prior, removed a window air conditioning unit to enter the house and rescue the family’s two dogs.
“I hugged him and just sobbed heavily because my dogs are like my kids,” Blanchard said.
Brevard County Fire Rescue reported that several units responded to the attic fire, which originated from an ATV outside the residence. No injuries were reported.
The family is currently staying across the street as they begin the process of cleaning up and rebuilding. Blanchard praised the community’s support.
“Port St. John is the best community. Everybody and their brothers and sisters came out to help us and everybody wanted to lend a hand,” Blanchard said.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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