Update:
An early morning mobile home fire in Punta Gorda left a home in ruins and one person dead. Fox 4 talked with neighbors about the moment they knew something was wrong.
In video a neighbor shared, you could see think plumes of smoke pouring from the mobile home on Hickory Avenue, completely engulfed in flames, as fire crews worked to put it out.
Watch Community Correspondent Austin Schargorodski's report here...
Neighbors say it all started just after one in the morning, when they were jolted awake by an explosion. “It shook all the neighbors houses around here, it was a big one,” said Truman Caudill.
That explosion was followed by sirens. When Truman Caudill and his wife Olive looked outside, they say they were shocked by the sight.
“The flame was sky high!” Said the Caudill’s.
As the flames grew, Olive said she didn’t hesitate - she rushed out to make sure her neighbors were safe.
“We woke them up,” said Olive. “I told my son to wake them up at the back. We knocked really loud so they could hear.”
The Caudill’s say firefighters put out the fire within the hour. After, all that remained was the charred remains of the home, with a car and nearby buildings destroyed by the flames.
Investigators with the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office and the State Fire Marshal say they’re working to determine what sparked the deadly fire. Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Spokesperson Chris Hall confirmed one person was killed.
“It’s upsetting to know someone died in that fire,” said Lindell Holtzmeier, a next door neighbor.
Original Reporting
An overnight fire has completely destroyed a mobile home in Charlotte County.
Charlotte County Fire officials tell us this is an ongoing, active investigation.
Our crews have noted that a forensic unit is on scene.
This is a developing story.
