Robin Court residents came out of their houses en masse this afternoon to take pictures and watch from under shade trees as a fire consumed a nearby mobile home and truck.
The fire started at 1917 Robin Court shortly after a strong thunderstorm moved out of the Sebring area just before 2 p.m.
Ray Lynch was sitting in his living room when the smoke started showing.
"I thought it was steam from the rain," he said.
The truck belonged to resident Paul Erwin, who had parked it in his neighbor's driveway to make it appear as if someone was home. He said he also made sure to mow the grass while they were away for the summer.
Erwin came to the blaze carrying a fire extinguisher. By that time, it was too late.
"I seen smoke coming out of the truck," he said.
Problems with the vehicle may have caused the fire. Erwin said the truck recently had repairs done on the engine.
"They've been having trouble with the truck for a few days," neighbor Byron Welch said, adding that it suffered burnt wiring on Monday.
Since several bolts of lightning ripped through the skies only minutes earlier, it would have been conceivable to think the fire started because of a lightning strike. Welch said the storm had stopped before the flames began.
As neighbors watched, firefighters with the West Sebring and Sun 'n Lake volunteer fire departments worked to put the blaze out and keep it from spreading to other mobile homes that were only a few feet away on both sides.
Several small pops went off inside as the fire devoured the structure. One such pop even caused the flames to expand for a brief moment before firefighters got water to them.
Roughly 30 minutes after the fire began, rescue workers had it under control.
Highlands County EMS and the Highlands County Sheriff's Office also responded to the scene.
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