Newspaper delivery woman alerts Cape neighbors to house fire

CAPE CORAL, Fla.- An early morning fire ripped through a Cape Coral home, destroying the building. Ithappened at 814 El Dorado Parkway East.

Neighbors credit the quick thinking of a newspaper delivery woman for saving nearby homes from also going up in flames.

Brandy Ferguson says it was a normal morning at work delivering the News-Press, when she noticed something was wrong.

"Isaw black smoke billowing from the house across the street," she said.

The house was engulfed in flames and black smoke, and she couldn't reach the door. She says she frantically woke the neighbors.

"We heard a big bang on the door and hollered and she said the house is on fire!" said neighbor Laura Caldwell.

Rita Sieber's brother Donald Chappelear and his partner are seasonal residents who live here. They weren't home at the time of the fire. The past four years, she says, they poured their savings into remodeling the property.

"Totally devastated. These two have done such extensive remodeling this was going to be their retirement home," said Chappelear's mother Frances Wolford.

The fire marshalsays the house is a complete loss, suffering about $200,000 worth of damages from smoke and water.

Neighbors are calling Ferguson a hero for her quick thinking. "She saved my house, and unfortunately couldn't save the other one but saved us," said Caldwell.

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Newspaper delivery woman alerts Cape neighbors to house fire