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published: Wednesday, September 03, 2008

Accidental fire destroys mobile home in Avon Park

By TREY CHRISTY

trey.christy@newssun.com

AVON PARK -- A single-wide mobile home was ravaged by fire early Tuesday, forcing the owner to find shelter elsewhere.

When firefighters from the Avon Park Fire Department arrived, the structure was already more than halfway involved, said APFD Capt. Steve Marquart.

"We had the state fire marshal investigate it, and it was determined to be accidental," he said. "It was a mobile home fire -- they burn pretty quick."

The fire was under control after about 15 minutes of battling the blaze that started only a mile from the APFD station.

The structure, located in the Southland Court mobile home park at 115 North Florida Ave., was a total loss.

"I went to the store and when I came back there was a lady that told me that my trailer was on fire," said Clara Walker, who owned the trailer. "I got back and sure enough, it was."

Walker was gone only 20 miniues, she said.

"It was possibly electrical, probably starting in the living room area," Marquart said.

Walker said there was no insurance on her trailer "of any kind."

She lost "everything you would have in a house," she said. "My son had a Diamondback bicylce, a typewriter, dishes, pots, pans, everything you have in a house was lost."

The Red Cross offered to put her up in a hotel room for the night, but she said it she could stay with her daughter.