A massive early Tuesday morning fire in North Fort Myers left two people injured and a dog dead. The blaze broke out in the Suncoast Estates community on Breeze Drive, north of Bayshore Road and west of Slater Road.
A 17-year-old boy and an adult man were injured in the fire. According to the North Fort Myers Fire Department, the teenager was airlifted to a hospital, while the man was taken by ambulance to a burn center.
WINK News spoke with neighbor Torain Vann, who recalled waking up around 5 a.m. to the sound of the fire.
“My wife was kind of in a panic. Woke me up. Dogs were barking in a panic,” said Vann.
Vann described the scene, saying, “It looked like it was touching the sky. It was a pretty big fire going on.”
The North Fort Myers Fire Department responded quickly and worked to get the blaze under control. Then, investigators from the State Fire Marshal and the Lee County Sheriff’s Department arrived, setting up caution tape.
Paul Ray, another neighbor, expressed his concern: “I was a little anxious, wondering if it was my friends and who it was, not being able to get to them.”
Vann added, “Thank God that it didn’t spread, praying to God that those people are good.”
This incident marks the second fire in the Suncoast Estates community in just two days. According to the North Fort Myers Fire Department, Monday’s fire on Bartholomew Drive and Payne Lane is not related to Tuesday’s fire at Breeze Drive.
Ray expressed his hope that it was not intentional, saying, “I hope that it’s not arson, and it’s just freak accidents, because nobody deserves it.”
The State Fire Marshal is currently investigating the cause of the fire. An arson dog was brought to the scene, but according to the North Fort Myers Fire Department, nothing was found. The cause of the fire remains undetermined.
“It’s a little nerve-wracking, you know? It makes you think, ‘what am I doing to be safe with my home?’” said Vann.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is assisting the State Fire Marshal with the investigation. Deputies are also looking into an abandoned truck with a shattered windshield and driver’s side window on a nearby street.
When WINK News asked if the two incidents could be connected, the sheriff’s office stated, “Detectives are looking into the truck. We cannot provide a nexus to the scene at this time as it’s still active, and there is more investigative work to be completed.”
The investigation continues, and updates will be provided as new information becomes available.