'Smoking Materials' Blamed in Fire that Displaced 10 People

Human error gets the blame for a Wednesday night fire that left 10 people without a home Wednesday night.

The blaze at Bethlem Apartments, 2918 N. Ola Ave., was reported around 9:40 p.m. When fire crews arrived on the scene, they found heavy smoke and flames coming from the second story of a multi-unit, two-story wooden structure.

According to the Tampa Fire Marshal, the blaze in Tampa Heights began at the rear of a second-floor porch because of “improperly discarded smoking material left on a couch,” an email to media from Tampa Fire Rescue spokesman Jason Penny stated.

The fire caused an estimated $60,000 damage to the building and its contents, the fire department estimates. Residents were safely evacuated from the building.

“It is important to note that firefighters at the scene heard the smoke detectors which alerted the occupants to evacuate,” Penny said. “Tampa Fire Rescue cannot stress enough the importance of having working smoke detectors in the home.”

The Red Cross has been called in to assist those displaced by the fire, Penny noted.

Photo courtesy of Tampa Fire Rescue

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