'It's an eyesore right now': Residents in The Villages express concerns over house destroyed by fire

THE VILLAGES, Fla. - A house on Mayflower Loop in The Villages was completely gutted by fire in early July. Since then, it's sat there silent and empty on the street, with the roof mostly burned away.

"It started, we got a knock on the door and said come out, so my wife and I walked out, and the heat from that fire was unbelievable, it knocked me back, that's how strong it was," recalled neighbor Tim Francis.

The Villages records state that the homeowner told them he was waiting on his insurance company to sign off on the loss. He said that the foundation needed to be replaced and materials may be delayed until February or March 2024.

In the meantime, neighbors said they were worried. 

"When the hurricane came, where's all of this debris gonna go? I think that's the concern people have is where's the debris.  What's gonna happen with it? When is it gonna be done? It's an eyesore right now," Francis said.

Neighbors weren't just worried about the debris, they were also concerned about animals moving in and infesting the property. 

"Rodents, varmints, anything can get in there and cause any health hazard," said neighbor Don Brown.

Neighbors discussed the house at a community meeting, on Thursday. 

"We were there to get information about the fire and about the house," said neighbor Jane Brown, "they couldn't discuss it because it's an open case."

Paperwork from The Villages states that the house is set for demolition after the insurance company's work is done. 

FOX 35 News reached out to the fire marshal's office for the latest information on the fire investigation but had not heard back by the time this article was published.