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Hernando Today

Fire Consumes High Point Home

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By KYLE MARTIN, Hernando Today

Published: January 30, 2008

HIGH POINT - A High Point mobile home likely burned from the bottom up when the duct work beneath the house caught fire Tuesday.

Black smoke began rolling out from the eaves of 7524 First Circle Drive around 2 p.m., prompting a neighbor across the street to place a frantic 911 call.

Meanwhile, the couple inside the home made their escape with their French Poodle called Pierre in tow.

By now, orange flames were shooting out of the east side of the house and a thick column of black smoke was attracting onlookers from blocks away.

Two High Point fire engines rolled up on scene along with the fire chief, but there was only a man to each engine so no entry was made at that point, according to county District Chief Robert Miller.

Mutual aid from the county was requested, so Hernando County Fire Rescue supplied two engines and two ambulances.
County firefighters used High Point equipment to extinguish the blaze, Miller said.

Meanwhile, medics were tending to the homeowners, James and Shirley Satiroff, who both have medical conditions, according to a neighbor.

The couple, age 79 and 65, were taken to Oak Hill Hospital for observation, but were expected to be OK. A neighbor was caring for the black poodle.

Most of the visible damage was to the east side of the house, where the windowsills were reduced to sagging charred plastic. The roof and walls seemed sound, but the white siding resembled yellowed parchment where smoke had seeped out from the shutters.

Where flames had not consumed the couple's possessions, heat and smoke damage warped and destroyed the rest, according to High Point Capt. Austin Mosley, who called the ruins "definitely not livable."

Before the fire broke out, a maintenance man was making repairs on the central air system beneath the house. Heat and smoke forced him out from under the house, according to Miller, who said the couple was warned about the fire.

The couple evacuated after Mrs. Satiroff found the bed on fire.

The repair man's identity was immediately unknown and he left the scene shortly after first responders arrived. Investigators expect the displaced couple will be able to give a name.

High Point is a volunteer fire department that resumed its independent status in December after two years of the county automatically responding to help out.

County Fire Chief Mike Nickerson made an appearance at the fire and was seen conferring with the High Point chief Paul Grenier.

The relationship between the two districts has been testy at times, but Nickerson said "everyone cooperated very well."

Fires that originate in heating ducts can present "a whole new set of circumstances and difficulties," said Brooksville Fire Chief Tim Mossgrove, who was not involved in fighting Tuesday's blaze.

A similar fire in October at Southway Villas took 5-6 hours from the initial attack to final mop up versus the normal 40 minutes, Mossgrove said.

What typically happens is that dust builds up in ducts and begins to burn when the heat comes on with the first winter chill.

Often that just causes a bad smell, but Mossgroves urges the public living in mobile homes to take precautions with their central air systems.

Reporter Kyle Martin can be reached at 352-544-5271 or kmartin@hernandotoday.com

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