By Nandini Jayakrishna, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
TAMPA — Caroline Crenshaw often sat on her front porch. She didn't say much and kept to herself, but smiled when someone spoke to her.
That's how neighbors remember Crenshaw, 78, who died early Wednesday after a fire broke out in her home in the Progress Village neighborhood.
Crenshaw was treated at the scene and taken to Brandon Hospital with serious injuries, according to Hillsborough County Fire Rescue. She died at the hospital.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, authorities said.
Gertrude Snyder, who lives across the street, said Crenshaw was a nice and friendly neighbor.
She had lost most of her vision and lived alone. Snyder would sometimes give her rides to the grocery store and they would talk about television shows they liked. Sometimes Crenshaw would call Snyder simply to say, "Thank you for being such a good neighbor.''
"I'll miss her," Snyder said.
Neighbors said Crenshaw hardly had visitors, except for people from her church who cut her grass and ran errands.
Crews responded to Crenshaw's home at 5211 80th St. S, near Ash Avenue, about 1:08 a.m. The fire was extinguished within 20 minutes.
Andrea Clemons, a neighbor, said she called 911 at about 1 a.m. when she saw a flame inside Crenshaw's house through one of the front windows.
Light smoke was coming from the home when the first fire units arrived, officials said. Firefighters went into a rear bedroom, where the flames were quickly extinguished and Crenshaw was removed.
Before help arrived, Clemons said she banged on the front door but didn't hear any sounds.
"May she rest in peace," she said.
Times Staff Writer Danny Valentine contributed to this report. Nandini Jayakrishna can be reached at (813) 661-2441 or njayakrishna@sptimes.com.
