GIBSONTON, Fla. — A two-alarm fire tore through a Gibsonton home Tuesday, sending thick smoke into the air and shutting down a stretch of U.S. Highway 41.
Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) said multiple 911 calls came in just before 11:30 a.m. reporting flames at a two-story house on South U.S. 41. When the first crews arrived, the home was already fully engulfed, and nearby residences were threatened by intense heat.
Firefighters said live power lines slowed suppression efforts. Once TECO crews cut the electricity, firefighters were able to make greater progress in battling the blaze. A second alarm was called to bring in extra personnel and equipment.
The fire was declared under control about an hour after the initial call. No injuries were reported.
All lanes of U.S. Highway 41, which were closed between Ohio Street and Adamsville Road during the operation, have since reopened.
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