Christmas Day house fire in Lehigh Acres leaves woman injured and dog dead

A Christmas Day electrical fire in Lehigh Acres left a woman hospitalized and a family dog dead, with the family losing all their holiday presents.

The fire occurred on 9th Street Southwest near Sunshine Boulevard South, where the Christmas lights that once adorned the home were melted away, and the roof caved in on one side as flames tore through the walls.

A Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue investigator and battalion chief reported that one of the family's four dogs did not survive, though the other three were saved.

Family, friends, and neighbors gathered at the scene, visibly emotional as fire crews worked to clean up.

A resident of the home, who spoke off-camera, said their 11- and 14-year-old children lost all their Christmas presents in the fire.

Fire district investigators confirmed that the fire was electrical in nature.

Lehigh Acres Fire added that the family was not home at the time the fire started.

The resident explained that he and his family were at another Christmas gathering when he noticed smoke on his security camera.

Both he and his wife entered the burning home in an attempt to save their dogs. The wife was taken to the hospital with minor injuries and has since been released.

The Red Cross has been called in to assist the family.

The Lehigh Acres Fire District continues to investigate the exact cause of the electrical fire.

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