COCOA, Florida — More than thirty firefighters from four separate agencies responded Saturday for an early morning blaze that destroyed a home near Lake Poinsett in Cocoa, Florida.
Fire crews were dispatched to a home in the 4200 block of Bass Road, located southwest of the intersection of Interstate 95 and State Road 520 at 3:16 a.m. for reports that the home was on fire and residents were evacuating.
The occupants, an unidentified man and woman, told officials that they were awakened by smoke alarms inside the home. A dog is still missing and presumed to have perished in the fire. Firefighters could see a column of smoke in the area of the reported fire while en route to the scene.
On arrival, a crew from Brevard County Fire Rescue (BCFR) reported a fully involved two-story home with all occupants safely outside the home. Firefighters quickly deployed fire hoses to protect two nearby homes threatened by the high heat and flames and while one of those homes suffered minor siding damage from radiant heat, both homes were successfully defended. Two vehicles also suffered minor heat damage at the scene but were moved from the area before being consumed by fire.
The area had one fire hydrant but pressure from that hydrant was only sufficient to supply water to only one fire hose, far less than the amount needed to extinguish the blaze. Firefighters used a nearby boat ramp as a drafting source to draw water from Lake Poinsett to aid in the efforts. Three mobile water tenders also responded to the scene to provide an additional source of water. As a result, it took firefighters more than an hour to bring the blaze under control.
Occupants at the home were not injured and told officials they have other accommodations in the area. The Red Cross was not contacted for assistance. The cause of the fire is under investigation by local and state fire investigators. No damage figures are available but officials say the home is a complete loss and it is not clear at this hour whether or not the home is insured.
BCFR was assisted at the scene by members of Cocoa Fire Department, Mims Volunteer Fire Department and Four Communities Fire Department. Firefighters remain at the scene to overhaul the fire and extinguish hot spots and hidden fire.