FORT MEADE, Fla. — More than a dozen fire rescue units from Fort Meade and Polk County helped extinguish a fire Wednesday that caused extensive damage to a home in a rural area.
Fort Meade Fire Department crews responded to the scene of a fire at a house along East U.S. Highway 98 just outside the city, a release said. Polk County Fire Rescue crews arrived shortly thereafter, eventually totaling about 14 units from both departments.
The blaze burned through the home, causing extensive damage and the death of three pets in the house. There was “no loss of human life” because of the blaze, however.
Since the house was in a rural area void of fire hydrants, crews used a drafting pool to “hold water for trucks to draw from to douse the fire,” the release said.
“I am really proud of my department. They responded quickly and were able to start battling the fire by the time county units arrived,” Fort Meade Fire Chief Matt Zahara said in a statement.
The cause of the fire is under investigation as units remain on the scene to monitor and assess the damage.
