A fire broke out in a bedroom in the house at 18 Federal Lane at about 9:10 Sunday evening. The Palm Coast Fire Department was at the scene within minutes. Even though neighbors saw flames leaping out of the bedroom window, firemen were able to contain the fire to the bedroom and salvage the house. The fire was out within about 15 minutes.
One resident was taken to the hospital for treatment for smoke inhalation.
The 1,840-square-foot, one-level house in a neighborhood just west of Florida Park Drive is rented by two or three room-mates, Anthony Ziff, a neighbor who lives at 11 Federal Lane and who is friends with one of the roommates, said as he stood across the street from the house. Ziff said he’s friends with one of the residents whom he only knew as Kenny–the one whose bedroom burned, and who was taken to the hospital. He was referring to Kenneth Shine, 58.
“We saw flames coming out of the right corner,” Ziff said, referring to Kenny’s corner bedroom. “It seemed like it started in Kenny’s bedroom. The flames were coming out of the window.” Kenny himself, Ziff said, “was sitting on the front lawn, he was sweating when he came out. He was freaked out.”
When a deputy arrived at the scene, he saw Shine “kneeling and coughing near the front door attempting to yell inside,” according to a police report. Shine said Robert Miller, 62, another resident of the house, was still inside, possibly in the kitchen. The deputy yelled inside and heard a male’s voice but smoke was too thick to go inside, and flames began to shoot out of a window. As it turned out, Miller had left the house from a back door and was not injured.
Shine later told police that he’d been sleeping in his bedroom then woken up to take a shower to get ready for work. When he left the bathroom after the shower, he saw the window curtains above his bed on fire. He wasn’t sure how the fire had started “but stated he does smoke cigarettes and there was a tall floor type lamp near his bed and curtains,” according to the police report.
The homeowners, Gregory and Dale Session of 27 Fortune Lane, responded to the scene and told police that each room is rented to a resident separately, and that residents are not supposed to be smoking inside.
The Palm Coast Fire Department’s Engines 24 and 22 and Ladder 25 were on the scene. Ziff said firemen “already had the door opened before the flames could get out of control.”
At 9:30 p.m., firemen brought out a black–and blackened–bed-springs, the likely remnant from the bedroom where the fire started. An official said all that could be confirmed just then was that the fire had begun and been contained to the bedroom. No one other than Shine needed medical attention.
Angela Smith via Facebook says
Bravo, PCFD!
Don says
Good job by a fine DEPT.
Joe A. says
Congratulations to the Palm Coast Fire Department and all of those involved in saving this house. You can never be rewarded for what you really do. I am proud of you very much.
Jenn-Dom Di Geronimo via Facebook says
that is our PCFD :)
Charlie F. Ericksen Jr. via Facebook says
Chief Mike and his team, take care of us…
cindy chambers says
I was taking garbage out and there was alot of smoke.saw it was my friend kennys place. ran down to see how he was. kenny was on the front lawn. choking from flames. fire was really bad. was so worried about other room mates but fortunatly they were not home.pcfd was unbeleivable. they were there in minutes and had the flames but out in 10 minutee or so. wow. fire was contained to one room thank God.
Gia says
May be they will understand to stop smoking
Anon says
Bought a new mattress set recently and was told by a seemingly knowledgable salesman about the differences in the materials used to construct mattresses now as compared to the ones in the 89’s, 90’s and even early 2000. Interesting part about the ones made in the late 90’s was that they were very comfortable and seemed to last forever but for one thing, they were extremely flammable. I recalled that as I read this article and am wondering when this young man’s mattress was made.
blondee says
Whenever it was made, it didn’t suffer from spontaneous combustion.
PalmCoast says
GREAT job PCFD!! I can never thank you enough for the job you all do!!
palmcoaster says
This good job well done by our PCFD totally justifies the preservation of our “the oldest and first ever I think” beloved Fire Station located in PCParkway West bound and Club House drive. I don’t mind the annoying alarms going on several times a day. …got used to and we just always tell each other “there go, our taxes at work!” Applause to our brave PC Firefighters!
Barb says
Maybe it was an electrical fire !