House Fire on Merlin Terrace Results in Fatality

Escambia County Fire Rescue and EMS responded to a residential structure fire in the 800 block of Merlin Terrace Wednesday, Feb. 25, which tragically resulted in the death of one individual.

At approximately 8:20 p.m., Escambia County Emergency Communications received a call about a residential structure fire with one person trapped inside. ECFR and EMS were quickly dispatched, with ECFR arriving to find a single-story house engulfed in heavy flames and smoke.

Firefighters immediately entered the home to search for the trapped victim and make every effort to rescue them. While conducting a search of the house, the roof collapsed, leading to increased difficulty while conducting search-and-rescue operations.

Following a thorough search of the home, one victim was located deceased inside of the garage. With heavy fire conditions still present, the victim was removed from the home while firefighters continued to extinguish the fire. No firefighters were injured in the fire.

Firefighters brought the situation under control by 10:06 p.m. Due to the significant damage, the house is a total loss. The Escambia County Sheriff's Office provided assistance during the response. The Florida Bureau of Fire, Arson and Explosives is investigating the cause of the fire.