LAKELAND, Fla. — Polk County commissioners have approved a $200,000 settlement for the estate of a woman who died in a house fire. 

  • $200k settlement for family of women killed in fire
  • Loretta Pickard died in Nov. 2018 house fire in Lakeland
  • Previous on this case

Loretta Pickard died in a November 2018 house fire at her home on Rockridge Road in Lakeland. 

She was on the phone with 911 while her home was on fire but responding firefighters never went inside to rescue her. Polk County Fire Rescue officials originally said it was too dangerous for firefighters to enter the burning house. 

However, a later report blamed a lack of communication between dispatch and firefighters. The 242-page independent report also pointed at other mistakes in the agency's response. 

The niece of Lorretta Pickard, 76, said her family decided to pursue a lawsuit because they want to make sure this never happens again. 

Attorney Chris Borzell filed the notice of intent to initiate litigation on March 29, on behalf of James Arthur Pickard, Loretta’s husband, and their two children, Sharon Rose Bush, and James Leroy Pickard.