NEW UPDATE
Strangers lend a hand after fire on Fort Myers Beach
FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. - Firefighters battled a dangerous fire this morning at 3001 Estero Boulevard on Fort Myers Beach involving a dump truck. The dump truck caught an RV on fire and destroyed a camper truck.
It took firefighters about 50 minutes to put the fire out at the Red Coconut RV Park.
Firefighters had difficulty attacking the fire because of the danger of explosions.
One person was treated on the scene for smoke inhalation.
The story is becoming much bigger now than just the fire.
People inside the RV park are coming together to help out complete strangers.
"Everything we have, the only clothes I have are on me now," said Fernand Boutin. He is far from his home in Quebec, Canada as he rummages through the rubble of his home-away-from-home looking for anything to salvage.
"I was walking on the beach with my dog and I saw the fire on the top of the truck so in my head I thought my wife and my daughter in there," he said.
Luckily, Fernand was able to get his family out of their RV safely with just $5 dollars in their pockets.
"I told them to get out right now, and they got out," he said. "But we forgot our passport and credit cards and everything."
Fernand still has his family and finds that family is growing by the minute.
'Lovely people here!" said Fernand of the people he's met at the resort.
The stories of compassion and charity rolled into the RV park all day long.
"I think we gave them $1200 just from the people in the park," said Fran Myers, owner of Red Coconut RV Park. "And there's still people bringing money, so its been a real good thing."
Fran and her husband welcomed the donations; a wheelchair for Fernand's daughter, food, clothing, even an RV on loan to rest their heads.
"It really tugs at your heart and to see people come together, campers are really good people to start with and they just really came together," said Fran.
The RV park's social club is also pitching in.
"This is the place to be if you have a loving heart," explained president of the social club Sharon Partyka.
In this place where people come and go, the kindess will remain forever. Now with a bottle of wine from the neighbors and Fernand's uplifting outlook, it's now time to pick up the pieces.
"I'm always positive so if everybody is in good health, that is important," Fernand said.
The Red Coconut Social Club is holding a garage sale Saturday morning. All proceeds are now going to the Boutin family.
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