1 dead, 2 injured in mobile home fire south of Vero Beach; state investigation underway

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A disabled man died, and two women were hospitalized for smoke inhalation after a fire broke out in a mobile home filling the rooms with black smoke, neighbors and fire officials said.

The fire, which quickly spread to over 75% of the residence, was reported just before 10 a.m. Thursday in the Woodlawn Manor mobile home community along the 500 block of Fourth Street, east of U.S. 1.

Neighbors described efforts to rescue the man they said was trapped behind a wall of “impossible” black smoke. 

Yoandri Gonzales, 32, a truck driver who was across the street from the property and saw the fire, said he twice tried to go into the home.

“I tried two times, but it’s impossible,” said Gonzales, who said his asthma was triggered by the smoke. “I can’t see inside, I can’t breathe … It’s too much. It’s black.”

He said no one responded from inside the home when he called out to the man.

Fire officials have not released the identities of anyone involved or the names or relations of the trailer’s occupants.

Devastating fire:After devastating fire, Hades Motorsports has new facility in Port St. Lucie

St. Lucie fire finally out:More than a month after igniting, 28-acre vegetative debris fire is out in Port St. Lucie

“I came out here and it was just flames and smoke,” said neighbor Buffy Royal, who lives in a home south of the property. “They (two women) were in there hollering ‘help, help’ (then) they came out and a dog and a cat ran out.”

No one interviewed from nearby residences said they knew the name of the man or the two women hospitalized for smoke inhalation.

 “He was in a wheelchair,” Royal said. “He had no legs.”

A state fire marshal is investigating but, so far, local fire officials said the fire is not considered suspicious.

The emergency response led to the temporary closure of U.S. 1 at Fourth Street south of Vero Beach, law enforcement and fire officials said.

When firefighters arrived the trailer was at least 50% engulfed, said Battalion Chief Kyle Kofke.

Ultimately it was a total loss with up to 75% destroyed in the fire, he said.

Firefighters found the man inside the trailer and took all three people to Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital for smoke inhalation injuries, said Battalion Chief Steve Greer.

He said the man was considered a bilateral amputee who used a wheelchair for mobility.

Corey Arwood is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Corey on Twitter @coreyarwood, or reach him by phone at 772-978-2246.