News of the Nature Coast of Florida

Citrus County firefighters on Saturday were called to battle a blaze at a Floral City mobile home at 8205 E. Gobbler Court.

There were no injuries at the home, which is owned by Joe Seaman.

The home was fully involved by the time firefighters arrived at 9:44 p.m., where they found the roof collapsed and portions of the floor had burned though, making it difficult for interior operations. The fire was brought under control in 10 minutes, but cleanup took several hours because the home had several layers of siding, including brick facia.

The cause of the fire is thought to be from a faulty chimney. The home was a total loss.

The county fire service recommends residents use care when using a fireplace. The fireplace and chimney should be checked for integrity, and is safe to use. The chimney should be clean and solid. There should be an air space around metal chimneys, and the mortar must be in place with no damage in brick chimneys.