House fire damages garage but no injuries reported

UPDATED, at 2:15 p.m. with witness account

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - Neighbors say garbage collectors were the heroes of the day, alerting a Sarasota family their home was on fire on Marlowe Drive Tuesday afternoon.

Polly Emerick, who lives one street away, was talking to a neighbor when they saw smoke rising from a home in the 4200 block of Marlowe Drive. “After running over, I heard people banging on the door,” she told ABC7. “Garbage men had seen the smoke and flames and were telling the family to get out. They were heroes.”

Firefighters arrived minutes later to put out the two-alarm fire, which was limited to the garage. Everyone got out of the house unharmed, “Even the dog,” Emerick said.

Fire officials are still determining the cause of the fire.

Copyright 2021 WWSB. All rights reserved.