Fire engulfs elderly couple’s home and vehicle in Bradenton trailer park, officials say
A fire in the Trailer Estates Mobile Home Park destroyed an elderly couple’s home, according to Cedar Hammock Fire Rescue.
Cedar Hammock and Southern Manatee Fire Rescue vehicles responded to the blaze in the 6500 block of Nebraska Street around 6 p.m. on Monday, according to Marc Massella, Cedar Hammock’s deputy fire marshal.
Residents gathered to watch firefighters extinguish the fire that completely destroyed a home and a vehicle on Memorial Day.
“The homeowner said he started the grill and then went inside. A neighbor knocked on the door to tell him his house was on fire,” said Massella.
Massella said the home and vehicle are a complete loss, but they are insured. The couple reported hearing a “hissing sound” from the propane tank attached to the grill, but Massella said the cause of the fire has not been determined.
Another family member has a home in the same park, Massella said, and the couple are staying there for now.
A home to the north of the fire sustained damage from heat exposure, but there was no damage, said Massella. The Red Cross is helping the couple get the medications they need and other necessities, he said.
