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American Morning
Florida Fires: Arson Suspected
Aired April 20, 2001 - 10:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We are going to start with the firestorm that is dancing across Florida, one that has been charring thousands of acres and igniting new fear. And that's because arson is suspected as the cause of several fires on the Gulf Coast.
Flames have emptied neighborhoods, damaged dozens of homes and reminded Floridians that a three year drought looms as large as the approach of summer. We're going to get the latest now from reporter Jan Thornburg with our affiliate WTVT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JAN THORNBURG, WTVT REPORTER (voice-over): The silence could still be heard in the distance, even after the fire had ravaged this home and emergency contractors were already working to repair it. Inside, it's considered a total loss. Outside, one of the three guys who rent this house remembers he just didn't have time.
ROB SCHMIDT, HOME OWNER: I would see all this and, you know, you'd think like a couple hours or something. No, like less, maybe 15 minutes or something. It was quick.
THORNBURG: He wasn't the only one burned out of his house. Flames leaping high into the air damaged at least six other houses, despite people's efforts to save their own property.
LARRY STARR, CHARLOTTE COUNTY FIREFIGHTER: You can't come to everybody's aid at one time so you just take them in priority. You kind of almost have to triage the calls, you know, and take them in priority. You kind of almost have to triage the calls, you know, and take them by priority.
THORNBURG: At times, the fires were producing so much thick billowing smoke, you could barely see the sun. Air tankers were soaring overhead dropping fore retardant. And on the ground, firefighters were racing every which way as new fires popped up. All of this because of a suspected arsonist, possibly igniting seven fires in a three mile area in just 90 minutes.
WAYNE SALLADE, CHARLOTTE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: Seven people didn't drop cigarettes simultaneously in this region. No lightning was within hundreds of miles of this area. So there was nothing of an external nature to have started this fire other than to lead one to believe it was suspicious in nature. THORNBURG: And for those who lost their belongings because of a suspected firebug, they're stunned anyone would do such a thing.
SCHMIDT: It gets me kind of irritated, I mean somebody just going around, you know, setting fires, if that's the case. That would really, that would make it even worse.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: That story from reporter Jan Thornburg from our Tampa affiliate, WTVT.
LEON HARRIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, for the latest on this developing story, we're joined now by Dee Hawkins. She is spokeswoman for the Charlotte County Fire Department. She joins us by the phone. Can you tell us exactly how things are shaping up for you this hour? Any good news to report?
DEE HAWKINS, CHARLOTTE COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT: Well, actually in our county, in Charlotte County, we have 100 percent containment on our fire behind the Rangers' stadium and it is an area where there are no homes threatened at this time.
HARRIS: Well, how big did this fire get?
HAWKINS: Twelve hundred acres is what we summed it up as of last night at 11 o'clock. Twelve hundred acres were burned. We had damage to seven homes in our area, but the worst home being about approximately 25 percent of the homes. Six of our residents were able to return to their homes and the one resident whose home was unlivable was provided with shelter immediately.
HARRIS: So that really is not nearly as bad as it could have been then?
HAWKINS: Well, the conditions are very difficult for us right now. We're still working with the winds and the humidity. We're watching it very closely. If our fire gets across one of our state roads, which is 776, it can work its way back into a residential area. So we're monitoring it very carefully.
HARRIS: Are you any closer to figuring out how or who may have caused this fire?
HAWKINS: No, we're not at this time. The Division of Forestry does the investigation for our area so I know they are looking into it but I don't know that they have any leads at this time.
HARRIS: All right, well, we sure do, we are glad to hear the good news there that you do have that fire under control. Dee Hawkins, spokeswoman for Charlotte County in Florida. Good news there. Still need some rain down there, though, that's the bottom line.
KAGAN: That they do.
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