CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. — It was only a matter of time. That’s the message from a group of Citrus County homeowners who say what happened in their neighborhood last week was inevitable.
Friday around noon, an on-duty Citrus County Fire Rescue truck got stuck in a sandy intersection in Inverness Village 4.
The fire engine became so mired in the sand that a tow truck was called to rescue it.
Ray Barreto got it on camera.
“And they were there stuck for over an hour,” he said.
Barreto is one of hundreds who call Inverness Village 4 home.
Even though he and other home-buyers say they were told roads would be paved, the roads were not paved, and the neighborhood was also built without a drainage system. As a result, the streets have become treacherous sandy canyons that are impassable in some areas.
“It’s crazy, you know,” Barreto said. “It really is.”
Finger-pointing between Citrus County government, a homebuilder, and the person who sold many of the lots has created a stifling stalemate, which has left homeowners like Barreto unsure if the problem will ever be fixed.
As the problem persists, over the years, ABC Action News has asked Citrus County multiple times if first responders can appropriately navigate the neighborhood to respond to potential emergencies.
In December 2023, Commissioner Holly Davis said she was confident first responders could access homes throughout the neighborhood.
“We’ve had our fire chief come out here. They do have the trucks to get back here in case of emergency,” she said.
In April 2024, when heavy rainfall further eroded the neighborhood’s streets, ABC Action News yet again asked the county about first responders’ access to Inverness Village 4.
A spokesperson directed ABC Action News to the county website’s page dedicated to questions and answers related to the neighborhood’s ongoing situation.
“Citrus County Fire Rescue is confident that the condition of the roads in [Inverness Village 4] will not impede emergency response to the area,” the website reads.
Given the incident involving the firetruck on Friday, the county’s response is no assurance to Barreto, nor were the comments made to ABC Action News by Citrus County Fire Rescue Chief Craig Stevens.
Stevens said the fire truck was leaving a medical call in the neighborhood when it got stuck. Even though the fire truck does not have four-wheel drive (4WD), he said the county has ambulances and ATVs that are 4WD-capable.
Stevens also said most of the crews that work the Inverness Village 4 neighborhood know its problem spots and how to navigate around them.
“I’m sorry. I don’t buy it,” Barreto said.
“Why reach that point about somebody losing their lives or their brand new house?” he continued. “We don’t live in a third-world country here. We live in America. Let’s get this done right.”
Until something changes, Barreto believes living in Inverness Village 4 is literally playing with fire.
“There’s going to be a major problem — a major lawsuit — if somebody dies or something happens,” he said.
In a phone call Monday, Commissioner Davis said she still believes emergency vehicles can navigate the neighborhood’s roads.
However, she said she feels for the neighbors and is still looking to the state for help.
Davis believes home buyers here were defrauded, and early last year, she asked the state to investigate.
In light of the incident involving the fire truck, Davis said she will follow up with the state to ask about the status of the investigation.
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