Seminole County house fire kills 68-year-old man on Tanner Lane

Perry Alan Phillips, 68, died after a house fire ripped through his home in Winter Springs and sent smoke and flames across the Wedgewood Tennis Villas neighborhood, leaving neighbors watching a scene that escalated from a quiet afternoon to a fatal emergency in minutes.

The two-alarm fire broke out around 4 p.m. Monday on Tanner Lane. Seminole County Fire Department crews arrived within four minutes of the emergency call, but by the time they got inside, much of the home was already engulfed. Fire officials said the blaze was under control in about half an hour, though the intensity of the fire and the condition of the house required a major response from across the county.

A total of 56 firefighters worked the scene, along with 27 trucks, and crews from Sanford, Longwood and Oviedo assisted. The victim was taken to Oviedo Medical Center in critical condition before he died. Firefighters also reported a partial roof collapse, a sign of how quickly the fire damaged the structure.

Investigators said they believe the fire may have started in the back of the home, but the exact cause has not been determined. The Seminole County Fire Department is working with the State Fire Marshal’s Office to figure out what sparked it and whether a mechanical, electrical or accidental cause can be confirmed. Officials have not said foul play was involved, and the investigation remains open.

One of the biggest challenges inside the house was the amount of clutter. Firefighters described "hoarder conditions" and very narrow lanes that made it harder to search the home and reach Phillips. FOX 35 Orlando also reported debris scattered in a garage area, adding to the difficult conditions crews faced once they got inside.

The fire is a sharp reminder of how fast a residential blaze can turn deadly, even when help arrives quickly. In a county where firefighters have to move fast through dense neighborhoods and older homes, blocked access and clutter can slow rescue efforts and increase the danger for anyone trapped inside.

The Seminole County Fire Department, founded on Oct. 1, 1974, has grown from 9 stations to 20 and now has 574 members, according to its 2024 annual report. That scale was on display at Tanner Lane, where a fast-moving fire, a compromised home and heavy interior clutter combined to overwhelm a single family home in one of Winter Springs’ residential pockets.