Crime & Safety

Person Found Dead Inside Burning Home in Seffner on Feb. 20; Identification Could Take 'Several Days'

Firefighters reported battling heavy smoke before entering a home at 2509 Giddens Ave. in Seffner, where a grim discovery was made.

A person was found dead inside a Seffner home after firefighters arrived on the scene and took about 10 minutes to battle the “heavy smoke,” according to a Hillsborough Fire Rescue report.

Eighteen firefighters and six fire suppression units responded to the scene of the fire, at 2509 Giddens Ave., after calls of distress first came in at around 4:45 a.m.

Firefighters within 10 minutes of battling the smoke were able to enter the home, where it was “discovered that one person was still inside and deceased,” according to the report.

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A later report, by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, noted that it could take "several days" to "positively identify the deceased individual through forensic examination."

The report added that the investigation involves the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, the State Fire Marshal and the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner's Office.

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