TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – A fire destroyed at least 10 units of a Tampa apartment building on Monday morning.
No one was injured in the fire at the 2-alarm fire at the Knollwood Manor Apartments located at 6801 Diana Ct.
Flames and heavy smoke were coming out of the roof of one of the buildings when firefighters arrived around 6 a.m. Tampa Fire Rescue crews quickly knocked down the blaze.
Fire investigators believe the fire was caused by an electrical failure or malfunction and started outside of an enclosed patio and then spread to the roof. Damage to the apartment building and its contents is more than $350,000.
Families who lived in the apartments are getting help from the American Red Cross.
Officials say at least 10 units out of 12 units were destroyed.
Antonio Ortiz lives alone in one of the units. He told WFLA News Channel 8 that if it weren’t for his next door neighbor, he might not have woken up in time to get out.
Ortiz says he woke up to her banging on his front door. When he answered he says she yelled at him, “get out! There is a fire!”
We spoke with that Good Samaritan, Annette Haynes. She lives with her mother in one of the affected apartments. Haynes says she just did what anyone else would have done.
“I don’t consider myself a hero,” she said.
Families who lost their homes are getting help from the American Red Cross.
Fire officials are still looking into what may have caused the fire to start.
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