A house fire in Lehigh Acres on Tuesday left one person dead. Now, neighbors and a pastor describe the man who they say died as a generous guy who only cared about helping others.
A man was found dead after a fire tore through a Lehigh Acres home early Tuesday morning.
Firefighters responded to the home on the 900 block of Willow Drive after a neighbor reported the blaze around 6:20 a.m., according to the Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District.
Fire crews quickly doused the flames.
Rescue crews found one man in the home deceased and removed the body while working to extinguish the blaze.
A church pastor identified the man as George Raymond.
Reverend Frysinger said the homeowner was supposed to be at the church on Tuesday morning. Instead, two of his neighbors came to tell her the news. “And you see, a week ago, a little more than a week ago, he didn’t come, and I bailed him out when he did come, I set someone to his home to make a wellness check because I told him you have to call someone if you’re not going to come in! You have to! Because you know I will call the police or send someone to check, and he laughed at me,” said Frysinger. She had 12 years of stories to tell about the dedicated volunteer.
“He would always be there for you. It’s already been one day, and we already miss him a lot,” said Enrique Gomez, a volunteer at First Community Congregational Church.
Frysinger said he had a tough life but was a wonderful person. “It was hard, very hard, and he and I had a connection. I talked to a detective and I talked to a fireman and I’ve talked to a police officer today and none of them believe that he had any family. This church was his family. This church was his family,” said Frysinger.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) said the fire appears to be accidental. The man’s dog, named Ginger, made it out of the fire safety and is expected to be put up for adoption soon.
The case has been turned over to the Florida State Fire Marshal and LCSO for further investigation.
Lee County Domestic Animal Services says they have the dog saved from the home in their custody.