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Man, 83, killed as Wimauma home fire spreads to nearby brush

 
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Published March 16, 2018

WIMAUMA — One person was killed Thursday after a residential fire spread, sparking a large brush fire, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

Donald Wright, 87, died as a result of the fire, deputies said, while three others escaped.

Crews were called to Bonita Drive at about 7:45 p.m. and found a number of small structures and an RV on fire. The flames then spread to nearby trees and brush.

The fire took place in a rural area of the county without water service or hydrants, deputies said.

Firefighters set up a water shuttle operation, in which vehicles transported water back and forth to fight the fire. Manatee County crews provided two tankers to help. The Florida Forest Service used a plow to cut a fire line through thick brush.

The cause of the fire was unknown, but a death investigation is under way. Foul play is not suspected, deputies said.

The fire took place as the Tampa Bay region is dealing with low humidity and dry conditions, prompting red flag warnings for some areas and producing an increase risk of brush fires, forecasters said.

This is a developing story. Stay with tampabay.com for updates.