Family Dies in Florida Fire

April 25, 2007
The mother, father and two of their children died in the early-morning fire.

SATSUMA, Fla. --

A mother, father and two of their children died overnight when a double-wide mobile home in southern Putnam County was consumed by fire just after 2 a.m. Wednesday. At least one other victim -- also a child -- was rescued from the fire and remains hospitalized.

Putnam County firefighters said it appeared the mobile home on Oklahoma Avenue in Satsuma had burned for some time when they arrived.

"There were two roof structures ... which complicates issues as far as trying to extinguish the fire," said Robby Stephens of the state Fire Marshal's office. "The fire just hides everywhere inside the mobile home."

The fire marshal said at least 11 people were living in the home, but only 10 were home at the time of the fire.

The victims' sister told Channel 4's Emily Pantelides that adults and their two children -- age 10 and 3 -- were staying with another family in the home. She said that a 5-year-old child of the homeowner was injured in the fire.

The names of the victims were not released by noon.

The home was burned to the foundation. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

A Satsuma Fire Victims' Fund was established at Bank of America, account No. 898007883791.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available, with complete reports on the local station beginning at 5 p.m.

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