Crews respond to early morning house fire in Lee County

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A home off Alico Road in Lee County erupted in flames early Saturday morning, with dramatic scenes of smoke and fire capturing the attention of local residents.

Fire crews from San Carlos, Estero, and South Trail responded to a house fire on Devore Lane at 3:30 a.m.

WINK News reporter Cristina Pop arrived on the scene around 5:30 a.m. and reported that Estero Fire Rescue crews were still battling hot spots three hours later.

“We made an initial attack on the garage area and knocked down the fire,” said Alexis McLellan, public information officer for the San Carlos Fire Department. “When we made a more approach, we found that the fire had spread through the attic in the home.”

Firefighters faced challenges due to the lack of nearby hydrants. The closest hydrant was about a mile away on Alico Road.

“This area is void of fire hydrants, so the closest fire hydrant would be out to Alico Road,” said McLellan. “And whenever you drove in, you saw how far away that was. So, the first truck to arrive on the scene carried about 500 gallons of water. And a fire like this, 500 gallons of water lasts literal minutes.”

Fortunately, the family of four adults and four pets, including a dog, a cat, and two birds, escaped safely. However, one cat is still missing.

“Luckily, this family had working smoke alarms, and they were alerted by those to the fire,” said McLellan. “So working smoke alarms, they make the difference between whether you survive a fire you don’t.”

A fire marshal was on-site, waiting for the flames to be completely extinguished before starting the investigation.

The process might take another day or two due to the metal roof containing flames beneath it.

As the investigation unfolds, WINK News will provide updates on the cause of the fire.

Stay tuned to WINKNews.com, WINK News App, streaming, and on-air for any new developments on this story.

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