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Boys accused of setting fires

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published May 1, 2006

LEHIGH ACRES - Two boys were accused Sunday of setting weekend brush fires that have destroyed or damaged dozens of homes and burned more than 1,500 acres in southwest Florida, authorities said.

The boys, ages 10 and 12, were charged as juveniles with intentional and reckless burning of land, Lee County sheriff's spokesman Larry King said.

Both boys were being held at the county's juvenile detention center, and investigators were also seeking a third youth, sheriff's Lt. Robert Forrest said.

Firefighters had the major blaze 75 percent contained Sunday afternoon but worried that wind and high temperatures could stoke hot spots. No one was injured.

At least nine homes and four sheds were destroyed, and an unknown number of other homes suffered some damage, said Gerry LaCavera, wildfire mitigation specialist with the Florida Division of Forestry.

Rubin Ortiz Jr., 35, of Gateway told the News-Press that he raced to his parents' Lehigh Acres home after seeing smoke rising from the area. His parents were not at home, but their house was engulfed in flames.

"I stood here for an hour and watched the house burn," Ortiz said. "... I didn't know whether to cry or scream or get mad."

Four smaller fires were contained Saturday.

Some residents who own construction equipment such as bulldozers helped extinguish the flames with dirt, LaCavera said.

The fires also destroyed 30 some vehicles, including two fire trucks, and killed several pets, Forrest said.

Residents were allowed back in the area Sunday afternoon, Forrest said. About 60 people evacuated their homes and spent Saturday night at a recreation center.

About 1,000 customers in the county lacked power Sunday, according to the LCEC energy company. Deputies were stationed near the homes to protect residents overnight, LaCavera said.

Since Jan. 1, more than 20,000 acres have burned in Florida from more than 1,500 wildfires, according to the Division of Forestry.

[Last modified May 1, 2006, 01:52:13]