Zephyrhills house fire: Lithium-ion battery sparks blaze that left father dead

A fast-moving house fire sparked by a lithium-ion battery claimed the life of a 44-year-old youth baseball coach inside his Zephyr Heights home, officials and family members said.

admin July 9, 2026 2 minutes read

ZEPHYRHILLS, Fla. – A fast-moving house fire sparked by a lithium-ion battery claimed the life of a 44-year-old youth baseball coach inside his Zephyr Heights home, officials and family members said.

Pasco County fire rescue response

What we know:

Pasco County Fire Rescue officials reported that a lithium-ion battery ignited in a garage on the evening of Thursday, July 2. Firefighters pulled Randy Horsley from the burning structure, but he later died at a hospital.

RELATED: 1 dead after being pulled from burning Zephyrhills home

His 21-year-old daughter, Jayna Horsley, recalled the devastating phone call that changed her life.

“It broke me down, I couldn’t get off the ground for a good 20 minutes,” she said. “I was screaming and crying.”

Jayna Horsley explained that her 17-year-old brother, Ayden, and a friend narrowly escaped the flames by climbing out a window.

“It’s hitting him pretty hard, too, trying to deal with it,” he said. “He lost everything he owned and then lost his dad.”

Family details final moments

What they’re saying:

According to his daughter, Horsley desperately tried to find a way out of the building.

“He couldn’t get through the windows, so he went to the living room and pushed the couch out the window,” she said. “He was basically almost out, he had a heart attack, and it killed him.”

Neighbors witnessed the intense heat and closely creeping flames. Next-door neighbor Linda Ferrari saw the fire through her kitchen window and urged the community to pitch in with cleanup and support.

Zephyrhills community memorial efforts

What’s next:

Loved ones gathered last Sunday for a candlelight vigil at the Dade City Little League fields to honor the coach. The family has raised more than $6,000 as they prepare for a funeral service scheduled for 11 a.m. on Aug. 1 at the Hodges Family Funeral Home.