Fireworks did not cause Satellite Beach house fire, fire marshal says

SATELLITE BEACH, Fla. – Officials said fireworks were not the cause behind a house fire late Tuesday in Satellite Beach.

The fire happened late last night in Satellite Beach along Caribbean Road, and reignited when News 6 crews got to the scene early Wednesday morning forcing firefighters to come back out and extinguish a second time. 

Neighbors said kids were setting off fireworks when one exploded into an elderly woman's home. John A. Smith said he got concerned earlier in the day when winds picked up.

"It started to get a little windy, and I thought, 'Well, if the wind dies down a little bit,' then about 9 p.m. I could hear some sirens," Smith said.

The blaze was reported around 9 p.m. in the 600 block of Caribbean Road.

An elderly woman was able to safely escape the blaze with the help of neighbors. Firefighters spent hours trying to fight the blaze that started in the garage and then spread to the rest of the home.

A News 6 viewer captured the fire on cellphone video (below), which shows flames engulfing the house.

Smith said he thinks professional type fireworks should be banned in residential areas.

“I don't think they should allow it just in these neighborhoods cause it can get out of control like it did last night," Smith said.

Fire officials said the home sustained extensive damage and might be declared a total loss.

The State Fire Marshals Office said the fire appears to have originated from the garage, but there are no indications of foul play. There is also no evidence that fireworks caused the blaze, but the fire remains under investigation, the fire marshal said.

"The whole time this was going on, there were fireworks going on," John A. Smith said. "I mean, it was like a war zone, 'Boom, boom, boom.'"

"It was surreal," Jazon Dean said. "There were fireworks going on all over, huge ones, as the place is burning down. I don't think they should allow it in these neighborhoods because it can get out of control, like it did last night."

Firefighters are working to determine the cause of the fire, they could not confirm that it was fireworks that ignited it.