Officials: Cape house fire is arson
An early morning fire that destroyed a home was intentionally set.
At 12:55 a.m. Tuesday, Cape Coral dispatch received a 911 call about a home at 151 N.E. Pine Island Road that was fully engulfed with flames. Fire units arrived on scene to find the two-story home burning, as well as the wooded area around the home and a GMC truck.
Crews extinguished the vehicle and wooded area fires and started a defensive attack on the home. The fire was contained within 25 minutes.
The damage is estimated at $182,000 — a total loss.
The home was vacant at the time. No injuries were reported.
According to officials, fire investigators determined that the cause of the fire was incendiary. The origin was the southeast quadrant near an east door of the first floor of the home and in the truck’s passenger compartment.
The heat source was undetermined as of Tuesday afternoon.
According to a report, the house is owned by Cape Coral LLC No. 20 and is being rented by an administrator at Florida Christian Institute. The man also owns the GMC truck that was on found fire.
LCEC has disconnected the electric, and the home has been red-tagged.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office is conducting an investigation.