Tavares firefighter bitten by gator in Lake Jesup loses arm

Firefighter loses arm in gator attack

A Tavares Fire Department lieutenant lost his arm to an alligator he was hunting in with two friends in Seminole County.

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. - The Seminole County Sheriff's Office and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission released preliminary reports on the encounter on Friday afternoon.

The incident occurred Thursday afternoon when Lt. Carsten Kieffer, of the Taveres Fire Department, and two other men were out on Lake Jesup hunting gators.

According to the report, all the men were properly licensed to hunt and were successful in capturing a gator.

But when Kieffer pulled the gator alongside their boat using a "snatch line", the gator lunged out of the water and clamped down on Kieffer's right arm.

The report says Kieffer suffered an "amputating injury".

He was rushed to Orlando Regional Medical Center for treatment.

Trappers were out on Lake Jesup looking for the gator on Thursday night and Friday.

So far, there is no report of the gator being caught.

Lt. Kieffer's condition has not been released.