HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. – A house fire on 12th Street in Wimauma drew a heavy emergency response Sunday evening after multiple callers warned that someone was trapped inside the burning building.
The Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Emergency Dispatch Communications Center began receiving a flood of 911 calls at approximately 7:56 PM. The first fire crew to arrive on the scene was met with heavy flames pouring from the residence. Knowing an occupant might still be inside, firefighters immediately launched an interior search-and-rescue operation.
Crews pushed into the home under severe conditions, navigating through thick smoke that had banked all the way down to the floor. Within five minutes of getting to the scene, firefighters located an adult male inside the burning structure and safely carried him outside.
Once the man was safe, crews shifted their focus entirely to containing the blaze. They brought the fire under control in less than 20 minutes.
The rescue victim was treated by medical personnel on the scene and transported to a local trauma center roughly 15 minutes after being pulled from the house. Authorities confirmed he is in serious but stable condition.
Firefighters conducted a secondary search of the entire property to make sure no one else was left behind, ultimately confirming that the home was clear. No firefighters were injured during the incident.
The Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Fire Investigations Unit remains at the scene tonight, working to determine exactly what started the fire.
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