ORLANDO, Fla. – A month after a downed power line caused a fire that destroyed an Orlando couple’s home, an incident report confirms firefighters left the scene after the Orlando Utilities Commission told them they shut down their responses at the time due to weather conditions.
Records obtained by News 6 confirm that at 11:09 p.m. on Oct. 9, the Orlando Fire Department responded to a reported down powerline sparking in the backyard of 5114 Jeannine Court.
While on the scene, the responding crew requested dispatch notify OUC to respond to the scene for the arching down power line and cut power to it, according to the report.
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The report shows that OUC told dispatch that it shut down its responses at the time due to the deteriorating weather conditions from Hurricane Milton. The fire crew on the scene was advised by dispatch to return to quarters and that OFD operations would be “suspended due to the weather conditions.”
Before leaving, Engine 6 advised that the power line had a “high likelihood of causing a structure fire.”
Over an hour later, at 12:17 a.m., after receiving multiple calls for a structure fire at 5116 Jeannine Court, the decision was made to have OFD units respond to the structure fire due to the severity of the incident.
Fire crews arrived on the scene and extinguished the fire with on-scene resources and with OUC’s assistance from a remote location, but not before an estimated $603,600 worth of damage had occurred.
The homeowners, David and Christy Darr, spoke to News 6 on Wednesday. The couple lost their home and their food truck business in the fire.
“We feel like they dropped the ball because it’s lives at stake, not just property,” David Darr said. “They could have prevented all this damage and devastation to our lives.”
As the couple deals with the aftermath of the fire they continue to question the response from both OUC and OFD.
“They saw the downed power line and the burning tree, burning tires on my trailer. The firemen told me that he had to get OUC to turn the power off. I thought as a homeowner, that meant that would be happening right away,” David Darr said. “I feel that the fire department really had a responsibility for our safety. If they had a policy that made them return to the station like they claim they did they should have evacuated us.”
They are now considering legal action.
“We don’t feel like we could just let that, you know, just slide,” David Darr explained.
News 6 asked the Orlando Fire Department why the firefighters were told to leave the scene of the downed power line only to return an hour later to extinguish the fire that had spread to the home. We also asked them if there were any alternative measures to remedy the situation that could have been implemented to stop the spread. Below was their response:
“The Orlando Fire Department’s number one priority is ensuring the safety of the City’s residents and visitors and doing so in a manner that does not endanger firefighting personnel.
On Wednesday, October 9, 2024, the Orlando Fire Department responded to call for a tree on fire at a residence on Jeannine Court. OFD 911 Dispatch operators notified fire crews there was an active live electrical powerline down in the vicinity and simultaneously notified OUC. Upon arrival, crews identified the live power line. Crews requested the power to be shut off, and OFD 911 dispatch contacted OUC for this request.
During this time, as wind speeds reached a sustained 45 miles per hour, for safety reasons, the Firefighters were notified to return back to quarters until it was safe to return to service.
Per protocols under non-hurricane conditions, crews wait until the utility company secures the powerline and then begin to extinguish the fire to ensure public safety.
The weather conditions at that point, however, in addition to the live electrical powerline, made it unsafe for crews to begin to extinguish the fire or even to remain on scene.
Note, any surface that is electrically charged can transfer shock, and possible, electrocution, to firefighters using their normal tools, such as a hooks, axes and water from a fire hose, which act as conductors.
In this case, as soon as conditions were safe for crews to respond, they returned to the location where they encountered flames coming from the home, as well as the trailer parked on the side of the house. Both fires were threatening neighboring structures.
While there were occupants outside of the home, there was still the possibility of persons being inside. The crews assessed the danger and began to extinguish the fires prior to the shutoff of electrical power in the area, all to ensure the safety of the residents and to save as many structures as possible. While working to extinguish the fire, one firefighter was injured due to high-voltage electrical exposure.
The OFD Commanding Officer at the Orlando Emergency Operating Center notified the utility company again to turn off power. Once shut off occurred, firefighters were able to continue to combat the house fire and extinguish it rapidly. The injured firefighter was transported to ORMC for treatment, and was released from the hospital following an evaluation.
While the investigation into this fire incident is closed with the cause being natural elements during a storm the caused a downed powerline, the Orlando Fire Department will continue to evaluate its protocols and procedures to better protect and serve the public and its first responders.”
Jesse Canales, Public Information Manager, Orlando Fire Department
News 6 reached out to OUC for an interview on Wednesday.
“This is an ongoing investigation and we cannot comment at this time. Our hearts go out to the homeowners and all involved,” OUC Public Relations Manager Derek Hudson said in an email.
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