Firefighters responded to a mobile home fire in the 5900 block of Flaxman Street on Sunday, April 23. Escambia County Public Safety officials initiated an additional search on Monday after friends and family were unable to locate the adult female resident. Tragically, the victim was found during the daylight search. The Florida State Fire Marshal and Escambia Sheriff’s office are conducting an investigation into the death.
Escambia County Emergency Communications received a call at 10:32 p.m. reporting a mobile home fire with flames visible and possible entrapment. The first crew arrived on scene at 10:41 p.m. to find the home fully involved with 25 percent of the single-wide mobile home engulfed in flames. As is standard protocol, sweeps of the home were made by two separate Escambia Fire Rescue companies. The primary search of the home was completed at 10:51 p.m. and the secondary at 10:55 p.m. with no victims found. The fire was called under control at 10:58 p.m. with the home a total loss. The state fire marshal arrived at 12:10 a.m. to investigate, clearing the scene at 12:50 a.m. The cause of the fire was determined to be cooking related. Escambia County will be conducting a full internal investigation.
Fire officials found no evidence of a working smoke detector. If you do not have a smoke detector in your home and need assistance, both the county and the city have programs to help. For more information, contact Escambia County Fire Rescue at 850-595-HERO (4376). Residents within city of Pensacola limits may call 850-436-5200 for smoke detector installation assistance.
