'Strong explosion': Ocala family displaced after losing cars, portion of their home to fire
OCALA, Fla. - A parked truck caught fire on Wednesday in Marion County. The flames quickly spread to another vehicle, then to a house, displacing a single mother of three.
Fortunately, no one was injured, and firefighters were on the scene at the home on Pecan Run Drive in a matter of minutes, according to James Lucas, spokesperson for Marion County Fire Rescue. Lucas said the fire started inside a parked Ford F-150 pickup truck while the owner was inside.
"He was just cleaning out the vehicle, and it caught fire. That’s something that’s scary," Lucas said. "He had a sound system and an additional battery, and when he was cleaning, that battery arced and that started the fire. There was no way for him at that time to put the fire out."
A neighbor, Carlos Balles, said he ran out of his home after hearing the first of several explosions.
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"The pickup truck exploded for three or four times… a strong explosion," Balles said. "In a couple minutes, everything was on fire. I felt the… the heat… when I opened my door. That was the impact for me because I could feel the heat."
As soon as the flames jumped to the house, crews prioritized saving the home, Lucas said.
"We had to do what’s called a vertical ventilation, and that means putting firefighters up on top of the roof to cut a hole in it," said Lucas.
The house is not deemed a total loss, but the occupants won’t be able to live there for some time.
"It’s very scary, but thank god the family is good," Balles said.
Although this fire was determined to be accidental, Lucas said let this serve as a cautionary tale.
"If you’re making any after-market modifications to your vehicle, ensure that you have them done by a professional," said Lucas.
The homeowner said she is a single mother of three, and the F-150 belonged to her eldest son.
The family lost two vehicles and a portion of their house to the fire. She said they do have insurance and will be staying in a nearby hotel until they get back into their home.