Big Pine Key fire leaves deputy, officer injured, home destroyed

A Monroe County sheriff’s deputy and a Key West police officer escaped their Big Pine Key home in the dark after fire tore through the house on Iris Drive, killed three dogs and a rabbit, and left the property a total loss.

Tiffany Rodda, a deputy with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, and Mike Pettee, a Key West police officer and motorman, were hurt in the May 7 blaze and flown by Trauma Star to HCA Florida Kendall Hospital. Pettee suffered the most serious injuries, with burns to his head, neck, face and hands, along with smoke inhalation and lung burns that put him in a medically induced coma and on a ventilator for 13 days.

The fire unfolded in the early morning hours, when Rodda heard commotion and Pettee yelled for her to get out because the house was on fire. Sheriff Rick Ramsay said the couple jumped from a window as flames engulfed the home. As they tried to flee, rounds from firearms stored inside the house went off while the fire spread, forcing them to duck for cover.

Their children were not home when the fire started. The state fire marshal’s office is investigating the cause.

The loss has hit two well-known public-safety workers who spent their careers helping others across the Florida Keys. Keys Weekly reported that Pettee had served with the Key West Police Department for about a decade and that Rodda joined the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office in 2022. By late May, WSVN reported that Pettee had left the hospital with Rodda at his side, a sign that the most immediate danger had passed even as recovery continued.

The emotional toll has been matched by the practical one. The couple lost not only their home and pets, but also the stability that comes with being able to go back to work, replace personal belongings and figure out what comes next. A fundraiser was launched to help with recovery and rebuilding, and Ramsay publicly rallied support for them the day after the fire.

The case also underscores why Big Pine Key homes can be especially vulnerable. Monroe County Fire Rescue says the island’s wooded lots and heavy fuel load can help fire move quickly, and county officials note that low humidity, heat and shifting winds can make conditions worse. In a county where Trauma Star is the only air ambulance service and has transported more than 5,000 patients since 2001, rapid rescue and evacuation can be the difference between life and death.