BREVARD COUNTY, Fla.,None — Brevard County fire investigators said that a malfunctioning propane furnace caused a fire that destroyed two mobile homes Thursday morning.
Fire rescue said the blaze started around 2 a.m. on Thursday in one unit, and then spread to the one next door at the Northgate mobile homes park off of US-1 in Mims.
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- Slideshow: Images of blaze, damage to mobile homes
- Raw Video: Firefighters battle mobile home blaze
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The homeowner Mike Savino said he had trouble lighting the furnace earlier in the day. When Savino awoke around 1 a.m., officials said he noticed that the pilot light had gone out on the furnace again and he re-lit it. Later on, Savino was watching TV when he began to notice smoke filling the home, officials said.
Savino told fire rescue that he turned off the propane and ran from the building. He told investigators that he tried to extinguish the fire with a garden hose, but realized quickly that the fire was growing out of control. He was able to go to a neighbor’s house and call 911.
By the time firefighters arrived, they said the first trailer was a pile of ruble and 75 percent of the second one was destroyed.
Fire crews said when they arrived they pulled the propane tank away from the scene so they could let the gas out.
Meanwhile, other firefighters battled the blaze. It took them 35 minutes to put it out.
The owner of the neighboring home Maxine Piotrowski said she had just left the bathroom when she heard banging on her door.
"I got up and through my living room window, I looked through the Florida room and I saw the brightness," Piotrowski said. "You know, you see this on TV and you feel sorry for the people, you just don't think you are going to be in this situation."
Luckily no one was hurt. The residents are staying with friends or family.
Savino does not have insurance, according to officials. They said both homes had installed smoke alarms, but the batteries were dead.