Neighbors fear the loss of a retired man known for his delicious culinary feats and many acts of kindness.
By CHRIS TISCH
Published October 27, 2004
[Times photo: Jim Damaske]
Firefighters rush to the front of a home at 2006 Sandra Drive on Tuesday morning. Neighbors say they heard an explosion in the garage before seeing flames. "It was a metallic-sounding bang, like a motor blew up," said neighbor Jim Schaedler. One body was found in the garage, but it had not been identified Tuesday evening.
[Times photo: Jim Damaske]
A firefighter rushes out of the garage Tuesday holding his ears after a small explosion was heard inside. Neighbors said there were a few explosions inside the garage as the fire burned.
CLEARWATER - When Hurricane Frances left half the neighborhood without power, the retired couple across the street allowed neighbors to snake orange extension cords to their house.
When all the power was restored, the couple invited many of their neighbors over for dinner. And when the neighborhood held block parties, the couple always brought a delicious dessert.
Neighbors along Sandra Drive in Clearwater held Rufino and Patricia Arrizabalaga in very high regard. Those same neighbors were dreading Tuesday morning that one of them was now dead.
Firefighters found a body inside the Arrizabalagas' home late Tuesday morning after neighbors called 911 to report that the house was on fire. Officials said the body was found inside the garage, but could not positively identify it by late in the day.
Neighbors believe it was Mr. Arrizabalaga, 66, who perished in the blaze. His wife was away from the home when the fire broke out. She returned Tuesday afternoon and was taken in by neighbors.
"They're wonderful people," said Judi McKeel, who waved to Mr. Arrizabalaga in his garage about 9 a.m. Tuesday.
Neighbors reported first hearing an explosion in the home, 2006 Sandra Drive, just before 11 a.m.
"It was a metallic-sounding bang, like a motor blew up," said neighbor Jim Schaedler.
His wife, Georgia, looked outside and saw flames shooting from the garage. The garage door was half open but suddenly closed as neighbors went to the house. Several people called 911.
"It just closed on its own," Georgia Schaedler said. "The car was in flames."
Neighbors said they believe it was Mr. Arrizabalaga's car in the garage at the time.
Dispatchers received the first 911 call at 10:54 a.m. Clearwater fire-rescue crews were dispatched a minute later. The first engine, which came from the station at Highland and Lakeview, arrived at 11:01 a.m.
"It seemed they took a moderate amount of time to assess the situation ... and then they were on it like a hive of bees on a honeycomb," Jim Schaedler said.
Fire crews entered the garage and discovered a body inside as they extinguished the blaze. Neighbors said there were a few explosions inside the garage as the fire burned, forcing one firefighter to run outside, holding his ears.
Another firefighter pulled the couple's dog, Foxy, out of the back yard. The dog was scared, but not hurt.
Because there was a fatality, almost a dozen police investigators were soon on the scene. Officials did not report a cause or the origin of the fire by late Tuesday.
Neighbors said the couple have lived in the home for three or four years, about the same amount of time they have been married. Both were divorced with two children each. Mr. Arrizabalaga has two grown sons in Spain, and his wife has two children who live in other states, neighbors said.
Mr. Arrizabalaga is from Spain and is a retired chef at the Columbia Restaurant on Sand Key. Neighbors said Mrs. Arrizabalaga, 57, worked weekends at a nursing home.
Though they hadn't lived on the street long, the couple endeared themselves to the neighborhood.
After some residents lost power during Frances, the couple invited neighbors over for dinner, where Mr. Arrizabalaga made chicken and Spanish rice.
"It was delicious," McKeel said. "He's a very good cook."
While Mr. Arrizabalaga was still working on his English, his wife had a friendly Southern accent, neighbors said. He was a bit of a homebody who liked to cook and tinker around the house, while she liked to shop, bowl and go to lunch with friends. He liked to rise early, while she was a late sleeper.
Neighbors said Mr. Arrizabalaga had recently bought his wife a new table and chairs. The kitchen, however, was all his. His wife decorated it with chef-themed wallpaper and had his chef jacket framed in a shadowbox that was prominently displayed in the kitchen.
"She's just so deeply in love with him," said neighbor Jackeline Depaz. "She loves him so much."
Depaz said she told her own husband, "I hope we're like them when we get that age."
