Firefighters thought they had the fire out at a Winter Springs home Wednesday, but Thursday morning they had to fight the fire again. The home rekindled and destroyed what was left of a family's belongings.
Trying to salvage whatever they can after Thursday morning's blaze added insult to devastating injury. Hours after the blaze, firefighters were still soaking the house with water as homeowners Tim and Mercedes Harper looked on in disbelief. They were not alone.
"It is heartbreaking to have to come back out to a fire you thought you had extinguished the day before," said Division Chief Bob Beck, Winter Springs Fire Department.
They had thought things were bad enough Wednesday, when something in the kitchen caught fire and their home went up in flames, killing their dog. Thursday morning, as they returned to salvage what hadn't burned, they happened upon a column of smoke and the realization it was on fire again.
Winter Springs firefighters said they must have missed a hotspot during the hours they spent watering the house down Wednesday. Sometime overnight, it rekindled itself. Firefighters said that happens sometimes, but they still feel awful it happened to the Harpers.
"There was extensive damage yesterday, but there probably were some salvageable items, and there's probably less today than there was yesterday afternoon," Beck said.
The Harpers were so distraught by the replay of Wednesdays disaster, they did not want to talk to Channel 9. But at the Seminole County School District, where both husband and wife work together, colleagues were taking up a collection to help the family get back on their feet.
Firefighters said they were taking extra special care Thursday to make sure any potential hotspot has been watered down properly.
The Harpers hoping the fire now stays out for good, so they can begin to move on with their lives.
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