A Saturday blaze that originated in a garage and spread to a home – where a family of six escaped unharmed – was ruled accidental, fire rescue officials said.
The state fire marshal determined the fire was an accident, Indian River County Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Kyle Kofke said. The blaze displaced a grandmother, mother and four children.
Details on what sparked the flames were not immediately available.
Fire crews responded to the blaze about 1 p.m. Saturday at a home in the 1700 block of Highland Avenue, Vero Beach. Crews saw heavy smoke and flames coming from the roof, Kofke said.
Authorities blocked Highland Avenue for a little more than three hours to battle the flames. Firefighters extinguished the blaze about 3 p.m., Kofke said.
The family who escaped included a mother in her 50’s, her daughter in her 20’s, and four grand children – two girls ages 3 and 5, and two boys ages 7 and 8, Kofke said.