TAMPA — Authorities on Monday released the name of a man who died last week when a motor home and the trash and debris surrounding it caught fire in Palm River-Clair Mel.

Officials say Richard A. Scarborough, 73, shouldn’t have been living there in the first place because the property is zoned for manufacturing.

Scarborough died of smoke inhalation early Wednesday in the motor home parked at 1618 51st St S, , according to a Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s preliminary report. A spokeswoman for the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said no foul play is suspected in the blaze.

Scarborough’s girlfriend told investigators the fire started outside of the motor home and they found nothing to contradict that, said Eric Seidel, a spokesman for Hillsborough County Fire Rescue. Investigators were not able to determine the cause of the fire because the property around the motor home was littered with trash, debris and several power tools plugged into extension cords, Seidel said.

"There was so much of that stuff it was impossible to tell where exactly the fire started," he said.

The three-acre parcel is zoned for manufacturing and county officials had not granted a variance to allow someone to live there, county spokesman Todd Pratt said in an email. Code enforcement officials had not been to the property prior to the fire, Pratt said.

The girlfriend, Barbara Cascio, told investigators with the Sheriff’s Office and Fire Marshal’s Office that she was sleeping by the door of the motor home when she heard a crackling noise, according to the Medical Examiner summary. She went outside to find "smoke and embers," though the report doesn’t specify what was on fire.

Cascio said she went around the motor home and knocked on the window of the bedroom where Scarborough was sleeping. Scarborough wasn’t able to climb through the bedroom window because of shelves built in the interior window frame, the report says.

According to the report, the last thing Cascio heard Scarborough say was, "The smoke is getting too bad."

Cascio went to a neighbor’s house and called 911 at 3:07 a.m. Hillsborough County Fire Rescue crews arrived 10 minutes later to find the motor home engulfed in flames and smoke. Furniture, trash and other items surrounding the motor home also were on fire.

Crews had the blaze under control in about 30 minutes. Investigators found Scarborough’s severely burned body lying on a bed frame in what was left of the motor home, the Medical Examiner report says. The remains of two of the couple’s five dogs were also found inside the motor home.

Cascio was treated at the scene for burns on her hand. She could not be reached Monday. Another relative of Scarborough’s listed in the report did not return a message.

In a brief phone interview Monday, Ron Sheets said he rented the property to Scarborough and he and Cascio had been living their for at least eight years. Sheets said he didn’t know much about either of them.

Sheets said he told Scarborough "many times" to address the junk on the property.

"He wouldn’t clean it up," he said.

Pratt, the county spokesman, said officials do not plan to cite Sheets.

"Fines and other punitive measures can be a way to ensure compliance, but in this case the living quarters that were in violation were destroyed by the fire, meaning there’s no longer a code violation," Pratt said.

The Medical Examiner’s report lists Scarborough’s employment as "mechanic/shop owner" and says records indicated he had nine children. He’d been diagnosed with several health conditions, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic kidney disease. He had a prosthetic implant in his right leg.

Scarborough was from Arlington Va. and liked classic cars and Bob Seger, according to his Facebook page. Friends called him Dickie.

"Can’t believe this is what finally took you from us," one of his Facebook friends, Pamela Mace, typed earlier this week under a photo of him.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/fire/Authorities-release-name-of-Tampa-man-who-died-in-motor-home-fire_171664785
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Rest in peace brother.

Hey, wow, this glum cunt had Dish Network.

Living large in a trailer with 5 dogs and an old hag.

I remember him from his motorcycle shop on Rt7 and his house in Pimmit hills. Late 60s early 70s.
After everything that he was into, one wouldn't expect that he would go out this way.

Fuck him.

Dickie was a good friend of mine, so shame on anyone here who badmouths him. Dickie would play Santa Claus at the mall each year and the kids loved him. He had a kind soul and he will be truly missed.

The " Pagan's " spelled their name incorrectly and have been too stobborn/ignorant to correct it.
The above poster must be for real.
He has his own version of spelling the club name.

My very first job as an innocent, "green" 17 yr. old teenager, I worked as an intern for Dickie Scarborough's lawyer in Vienna (Fairfax County), Virginia. Dickie loved dogs (as this article reflects), and he would usually bring his German Shephard to Murphy's office when he came for appointments. He always treated me with respect. No human being should end their life's journey in such tragedy. Does anyone know if Dickie was a Vietnam Vet, suffering from PTSD (although, PTSD was not diagnosed during the 1960's). RIP.

My very first job as an innocent, "green" 17 yr. old teenager, I worked as an intern for Dickie Scarborough's lawyer in Vienna (Fairfax County), Virginia. Dickie loved dogs (as this article reflects), and he would usually bring his German Shephard to Murphy's office when he came for appointments. He always treated me with respect. No human being should end their life's journey in such tragedy. Does anyone know if Dickie was a Vietnam Vet, suffering from PTSD (although, PTSD was not diagnosed during the 1960's). RIP.

RIP, just talking about you the other day, as high school kid in he early 70's with an old Norton I frequented your MC shop. You really liked my bike, I never had to worry when your club showed up at No. Va. area keg parties.

Anyone know what happened to Claudie Holliday, he used to run with Dickie and the Pagans?

I met Dickie in third grade at Walter Reed Elementary in Arlington Va. I was a little guy and was being beaten by a large older bully on the playground. Dickie intervened and beat the guy badly. We became best friends until I moved after fourth grade. I would run into him over the years. He had a motorcycle shop in Falls Church. He was a Pagan and got into serious trouble with them. Other gang members thought that he was a snitch and tried to kill him. I heard that he had to move to Florida in the 80's? He was always a good friend to me. I still have his third grade photo. Good memories.
RIP

I knew Dickie as a kid. He was my dads friend. He and my dad looked exactly alike, and one day I hugged him thinking he was my father. The smile on his face has left an impression on me for 45 years. I’m sorry to learn about his death. He may have been a bad ass on the outside, but he had a heart and soul. He would tell me stories, cautionary tales of biker life. He and my dad also got in a lot of trouble together too. RIP Dickie!

Bet you didn’t have the balls to say that to his face when he was alive ya piece of shit

David B .. great story and I bet he did beat the shit out out of that bully for you . He couldn’t stand a bully . He was a lot
Of things in his life but I can assure you he wasn’t ever a snitch. He didn’t agree with what was going on within the Pagans organization he got the hell on aWay from it . People will always talk shit and say stuff but he went to Fla cuz his family was there his parents , sister and nieces and nephews. I’m one of them so I know . He was also still getting into trouble for awhile after he was with the Pagans I know cuz I would visit him in prisons with my grandma (his mother) he would always love and protect his family . He might have made a lot of dumb ass mistakes or decisions in his life I would agree with but if you were his friend you were his friend till the end . He would have given you the shirt off his back and his last $5 he had if you needed it . And to all the people on here talking shit about him I can assure you , you didn’t and never would have had the balls to say it to this face when he was alive you cowards .

RIP John Goodman aka Dickie