Hurricane Milton’s powerful winds brought devastation to Cape Coral, knocking down several power poles along Chiquita Boulevard and sparking a fire that destroyed a family’s home.
Seven people lived in the home at 107 Chiquita Boulevard, but only one, Lester Roque, stayed behind during the hurricane.
Lester described the terrifying moment he realized his home was on fire. After hearing an explosion and the sound of honking cars outside, he opened the front door only to see flames. Power lines were down, blocking the entrance, but Lester managed to crawl under them to escape safely.
Elena Gonzalez, Lester’s wife, returned to see her home for the first time after evacuating for Milton. Tears streamed down her face as she shared the painful reality of their loss.
“We never thought this was going to happen,” Elena said, still in disbelief. “We have nothing. Absolutely nothing.”
This home was their dream, purchased just last year after years of hard work and sacrifice.
“Everything we worked so hard for, all that we saved, has turned to ashes,” she said, sobbing.
The once-cozy home is now unrecognizable, with cars, furniture, toys, and cherished memories all lost in the blaze. The fire was sparked when Hurricane Milton’s winds knocked down power lines like dominoes, spreading across multiple homes on Chiquita Boulevard. An open current ignited the flames that destroyed Elena and Lester’s home.
Just a few houses down, Bethany Sierocinski and her neighbors remain trapped inside their homes without electricity. Downed power lines, some of which may still be live, surround their properties.
Sierocinski shared their fear of the power being restored too soon, which could potentially spark more fires.
“We contacted LCEC and asked them to please not turn the power back on until it’s safe,” she said.
Even though Hurricane Milton has passed, Bethany’s family isn’t getting much sleep.
“We’re just hoping everything works out, and they come tomorrow to get the lines off the cars. It’d be great if we could just get out,” she said.
Like her neighbors, Sierocinski fears her home could catch fire next.
“If you see downed power lines, please don’t drive over them — you don’t know what that could do to someone’s home," Sierocinski said.
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