A house fire that broke out from a golf cart charging in a garage on 11th Street North in Flagler Beach Monday afternoon was contained to the garage, saving the rest of the house, Flagler Beach Fire Chief Stephen Cox said.
Golf carts have become an increasingly favored mode of transportation in Flagler Beach. But charging golf carts has its hazards, from plugging the battery into an extension cord to overcharging to inadequate ventilation or lack of water in the battery. St. Johns County Fire Rescue noted an uptick in golf cart fires last fall.
The Flagler Beach fire broke out at 1:38 p.m. at 315 11th Street North, a homesteaded, 1,700-square-foot house on an 8,800 square-foot lot. Crews from the Flagler Beach Fire Department, the Palm Coast Fire Department and Flagler County Fire Rescue responded.
“Heavy smoke was coming from the garage, an offensive attack was made, with heavy fire conditions, but we were able to contain the fire to the garage,” Cox said. “They did a fantastic job.”
“Given the presented fire conditions, how extreme they were, I give them a huge amount of credit,” Cox said of the fire crews. “Basically the garage when the engine company pulled on scene was fully involved–high heat, lots of fire.”
The homeowner, a man in his 50s, was treated and released for smoke inhalation. A dog was also rescued. No neighbors were affected.
The homeowner lost a car and the golf cart, along with tools and other items stored in the garage. The rest of the house, however, is habitable.
“Our fire investigator deemed it accidental, started from a golf cart charging,” the fire chief said. Golf cart charging is among the most common causes of fires in golf cart communities due to improper charging or frayed electric lines and equipment. Dry batteries can explode from overheating.
But the homeowner had done well to keep doors closed. “That’s something we stress a lot especially when people are sleeping, which is to close your doors,” the fire chief said. “Because there was a closed door from the garage, it did its job, being fire-rated.”
11th Street North was shut down during the emergency. The scene was cleared at 3:47 p.m.
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