Ocala Fire Rescue calls July 3 house fire suspicious
Two agencies are investigating an early morning house fire July 3 in the 2000 block of Southwest Fourth Street in Ocala.
According to a news release from Ocala Fire Rescue, crews were dispatched at 6:31 a.m. and were on scene at 6:34. They had the fire under control by 6:49 a.m. The home was unoccupied at the time of the fire.
"No injuries were reported during the incident," the news release says. "However, due to preliminary reports from bystanders suggesting foul play, the cause of the fire is under investigation by the Florida State Fire Marshal and the Ocala Police Department. The Fire Prevention Division and Marion County Fire Rescue also participated in the response."
About noon on July 3, the fire scene was quiet and empty. A foam football was on the ground near the chain-link fence that surrounds the one-story block house. A few bicycles also were in the yard.
jross@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Ocala Fire Rescue calls July 3 house fire suspicious
Reporting by Ocala Star-Banner / Ocala Star-Banner
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This story was originally published July 3, 2026 at 2:16 PM.