Fire struck here again yesterday. This time it was in the far northern portion of Highlands County. At last report, the 3-acre blaze had claimed a trailer house, a barn and at least nine vehicles.
Highlands Lakes volunteers as well as units from West Sebring, the Avon Park Bombing Range and the Florida Forest Service spent hours trying to control the flames off Riverdale Road. A number of streets in the area were closed off for time while firefighters tried to corral the flames.
No injuries have been reported.
Highlands County Fire Rescue officials have released the name of the one person injured in that massive fire that destroyed the Kosan/Crisplan propane gas tank warehouse as well as 17 other structures Monday.
They say that 43-year-old Wayne McCall is on the mend and they hope to speak with him soon about how the fire started. Authorities say there were as many as 10,000 tanks stored at the facility south of Sebring. Roughly half were involved in the incident.
One “very large” tank on the property was threatened but did not rupture. Fire units continue to monitor the scene and surrounding areas for flare-ups.
Avon Park city council members spent a couple hours in a special session last night to plan for Christmas. Council members agreed to focus on four areas of the mile-long mall including the section up by the Avon Park Church of the Nazarene, the section in front of the city’s community center, the Gazebo and in front of the Avon Park city hall.
Community activist Anna Marie Feeny offered to help with some of the holiday features that had been presented in the past and the Founder’s Garden Club also volunteered their expertise.
Avon Park City Manager David Flowers said he would get cost figures together and give a preliminary presentation in the next few weeks.
Somebody in Sebring is a bit richer this morning. Officials at the Florida Lottery say somebody bought a winning Fantasy Five ticket at the North Ridgewood Drive convenience mart.
Those numbers are worth $95,003.99 – before taxes. There were only two winners in that drawing. So far, nobody has stepped forward to claim the prize.