Arson suspected in Colee Street trailer fire

Detective Gene Tolbert with the St Johns County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit updated Historic City News this morning on the progress of an investigation into the cause of a trailer fire that nearly took the lives of a mother and her two children last weekend.

At 4:21 a.m. Sunday morning, St Augustine and St Johns County firefighters responded to the scene of a fully involved mobile home fire at Lot 9 in the trailer park located at 545 Colee Street in St Augustine.

“The family who lived there lost everything they owned as a result of the fire,” Media Relations Officer Kevin Kelshaw told Historic City News. “The American Red Cross is assisting the displaced family at this time.”

Today it was learned that investigators in the Office of the State Fire Marshal determined the blaze was intentionally set. Evidence collected indicates that the fire started on the side of the mobile home while the three occupants were asleep.

The mother and her two children were rescued from certain death when a neighbor, identified as Brian Gatchell, entered the inferno to pull them safely outside and away from the blaze.

In a televised interview from the scene, Action News reporter Michael Yoshida spoke with Gatchell, who collapsed in the heavy smoke while he was getting one of the children out. His fiance had to come in and pull him out after the rescue attempt.

“Did I save the children, are the children safe? Is everybody safe?,” Gatchell asked Yoshida during the interview. “I ended up collapsing. They ended up pulling me out and doing CPR on me. As soon as I found out they were safe, I was okay.”

Investigators are asking for Historic City News reader’s help in identifying those responsible for this crime. You can remain anonymous and possibly be eligible for a cash reward by calling Crime Stoppers of Northeast Florida at 1-888-277­TIPS, or the State Fire Marshal’s Office Arson tip line 1-877-NO­ARSON.

Detective Tolbert can be reached by calling 904-209­-3985.