ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. --
A man who had tens of thousands of dollars worth of guns and ammunition in his Altamonte Springs home said on Thursday that a squirrel ate through electrical wiring in his attic, causing the massive blaze.
The fire broke out at Kevin Von Lanken's house, located on Jay Drive just north of Semoran Boulevard and west of Interstate 4, at about 5:45 a.m. Firefighters battled the blaze for hours, and numerous explosions -- likely caused by the ammunition -- were heard.
Von Lanken, who said he teaches gun-safety courses, escaped the fire, which he blamed on the squirrel.
"It was a squirrel eating something in the back of the house," he said.
"All I saw was the home engulfed and blue sparks from the ammo, and that's all you heard going off," neighbor Megan Reid said.
The state fire marshal said the fire started in the attic of the home and was likely caused by an electrical issue.
"If it is electrical, maybe it could have been contained better if there wasn't so much junk because there was just stuff everywhere," neighbor Tina Sewell said.
Code enforcement officials have twice been called to the home because of trash and debris, which firefighters said helped fuel the flames.
Von Lanken, who does not have homeowners insurance, was left homeless.
"I guess I can empty that gray van out and sleep in that," he said.
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