Winter Haven Apartment Fire Leaves 4 Families Homeless

WINTER HAVEN, FL -- An apartment fire in Winter Haven Monday, May 21, has left four families homeless.

The Winter Haven Fire Department were called to a two-alarm fire at the Briarcrest Apartments, 200 Ave. K S.E., around 5 p.m. after cooking oil left unattended on a stove in one of the apartments caught fire.

With assistance from Polk County Fire Rescue, approximately 35 fire rescue personnel responded to the apartment complex where a second-story apartment was engulfed in flames with heavy black smoke coming through the roof and flames showing through the back windows of the apartment.

The family living in the apartment and those in neighboring apartments were able to escape. However, a dog was trapped on second-story balcony. When fire personnel reached the balcony, the dog's head was stuck in the balcony railing of the balcony in an attempt to flee the fire. The pup was freed and given oxygen until a Polk County Sheriff's deputy transported him to a veterinary office. The dog is expected to make a full recovery.

The fire was contained to one apartment, however, due to the common roof, TECO had to cut all power and four families were displaced. The Red Cross was notified to assist the families.

"Due to the great cooperation of all agencies involved, this fire was contained and quickly taken care of, resulting in no injuries," said Winter Haven Fire Administrator and Police Chief Charlie Bird.

Image via Winter Haven Fire Rescue