Fla. Man Follows Fire Truck to His House; Wife Dies

Nov. 8, 2013
The man had no idea the fire truck was headed to his house where his wife was alone.

Nov. 08--A woman at home alone late Thursday died in a fire that her husband spotted as he followed fire trucks home from work.

Mike Kelly said he at first was not sure if it was his house or a neighbor's that was on fire as he was arriving around 11:30 p.m. His wife of 10 years, Donna Kelly, 60, died in the bedroom of the brick home in the 4700 block of West Cisco Drive.

Firefighters were dispatched to the rural neighborhood off Pritchard Road shortly after 11 p.m., said Tom Francis of the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department. He said the state Fire Marshal's Office is investigating the case as it does when deaths occur.

Mike Kelly said his wife used a walker but was able to get around some. He said he had last spoken to her before leaving for work that afternoon. Friday morning he said investigators had not told him what may have caused the fire.

The house is a total loss.

Next-door neighbor Donald Faxel said he and his wife were woken by their dog barking and smelled smoke. When Faxel went outside, flames were shooting above the kitchen area of the brick house.

"All I could see is the back of the house in flames," Faxel said.

He said another neighbor was already there and warned Faxel from trying to get into a back bedroom where he knew Donna Kelly would be staying.

Mike Kelly said they had lived in the house for all of their marriage and that she had lived there before that.

Dana Treen: (904) 359-4091

Copyright 2013 - The Florida Times-Union, Jacksonville

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