Two people died during a house fire in Auburndale Tuesday, Polk County officials said.
A spokesperson for the Polk County Fire Rescue said crews were dispatched to a mobile home fire on Gladiola Drive at 1:27 p.m.
“I was sitting in my living room and I saw smoke behind the houses,” said Ginny Wood, a resident. “It was coming right out under the lanai, but billowing out. Heavy heavy smoke.”
Firefighters began dousing the home at about 1:38 p.m. According to PCFR, the fire involved a golf cart and another vehicle as well.
Two people were said to be inside the structure, fire officials said. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that two people had died in the incident.
“The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is conducting a death investigation at a mobile home that was engulfed in flames on Gladiola Drive in Auburndale,” a PCSO release stated. “The PCSO ECC received a 911 call at 1:23 p.m. this afternoon (Tues, August 12th) from a neighbor. There are two confirmed adult fatalities found inside the home. Their causes of death will be determined by an autopsy on Wednesday, August 13, 2025.”
“That’s beyond sad,” said Wood. “The other house fire that we had was started by a dryer vent so of course all of us right away got our dryer vents cleaned. So you know it makes you wonder.”
The cause of the fire is not yet known.
“It’s always sad when deaths occur during emergency situations,” Polk County Fire Chief Shawn Smith said. “My heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of the individuals that passed.”
This is a developing story.
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Source: wfla
