Charlotte County fire investigators said an elderly man died last Friday morning while battling a fire at his home at the Windmill Village Mobile Home Park.
Investigators said the fire broke out at 22 Rotterdam Place and believed it was caused by flood waters from Hurricane Helene that reached the electricity on the carport. They add the blaze started where a battery charger was plugged into a golf cart.
Mike O’Neill told ABC7 he ran across the street to warn his neighbor when he saw flames.
“Tom got out a hose, and was trying to put it out, but with the lithium-ion battery and the flames, it just wasn’t going out quick,” O’Neill said.
Multiple fire crews responded to the scene and spotted the man trying to do what he could.
“Unfortunately, he was overcome by smoke, and when he collapsed, he collapsed into the fire,” said Todd Dunn, Public Information Officer with Charlotte County Fire Department.
Dunn said the man, who neighbors identified at Tom Gramza, died at an area hospital.
Witnesses said his wife Janet, managed to escape the flames.
Just moments before the tragedy, a similar fire broke out down the street at Phil Meredith’s home.
“The battery caught on fire because it’s lithium-ion, and it’s a very hot fire, it melted the seat, it melted the wall of my home,” Meredith said.
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Source: mysuncoast
