Firefighters in Polk County attacked a large brush fire that threatened five homes in Frostproof Wednesday evening and won, authorities said.
Polk County Fire Rescue crews responded to an emergency call after a caller reported hearing an explosion shortly after 6 p.m. Wednesday. Following the boom, dark smoke was seen near 189 Freedom Drive, according to a post on the Polk County Fire Rescue Facebook page.
Firefighters arrived to the area in about five minutes and found a large brush fire. The blaze was spreading quickly because of strong winds and vegetation.
A team of 15 firefighters kept the 15-acre fire away from five nearby houses. The fire was tough to battle due to rough terrain.
Polk County Fire Rescue was assisted by the Frostproof Fire Department and Florida Forest Service to stop the fire, which took about 2 1/2 hours to get fully under control.
The cause of the fire is unknown at this time. Also, firefighters have not determined the cause of the loud sound heard by the caller.
