Fire, smoke destroy home; no one injured

By Times Staff Writer
Published December 22, 2007

PORT RICHEY

Authorities are investigating the cause of a fire that destroyed a home overnight. Pasco County Fire Rescue crews arrived at 7825 Bloomfield Drive at 2:39 a.m. Friday to find a home, valued by fire investigators around $100,000, heavily engulfed by shooting flames and black smoke, said acting Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Mike Ciccarello. It is unclear whether the home was occupied at the time of the fire, but Ciccarello said no one was displaced and no injuries were reported. A team of about 16 firefighters extinguished the blaze in about 10 minutes, Ciccarello said.

COUNTYWIDE

Bus system sets ridership mark

The Pasco public transportation system set a ridership record this month. On Dec. 20, the system surpassed the 1-million-ride mark for the first time in a 12-month period. Officials attribute the ridership increase to the system's reliability and service improvements, including: the Bikes on Buses program; 30-minute bus frequency on the route along U.S. 19; a route connecting Dade City and Zephyrhills; increased hours of service and Saturday service.

LAND O'LAKES

Center sponsors table tennis league

For people who take their table tennis seriously, a new league has formed at the Land O'Lakes Community Center. The group, sponsored by the Pasco County Parks and Recreation Department, meets between 3 and 6 p.m. Wednesdays at the center, 5401 Land O'Lakes Blvd. It's free. For more information, call (813) 929-1229.

[Last modified December 21, 2007, 21:33:14]