Fire forces families to flee homes

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published June 29, 2007

CAPE CORAL - A 2, 000-acre brush fire forced some southwest Florida residents out of their homes Thursday evening, city officials said.

Twelve families were evacuated, but no structures were damaged and no one was injured, Mayor Eric Feichthaler told the Associated Press. About 6 miles of Burnt Store Road in Lee County were closed by the fire.

"It is a relatively undeveloped area of our city, " Feichthaler said.

Mike Weston, a senior forester with the state Division of Forestry, said the fire was about 45 percent contained. Fire crews were using air tankers and a helicopter to control the blaze.

Trey Adcock told the News-Press of Fort Myers he removed several horses from a stable as smoke moved into his girlfriend's Sanctuary Estates neighborhood.

"Very hot, loud, an adrenaline rush, " Adcock said. "The horses were panicked and scared. I did what the firefighters told me to do. Save the horses and get out."

[Last modified June 28, 2007, 23:28:58]