A massive fire that erupted yesterday, Sunday morning, has caused extensive damage to the Fairwinds Treatment Center in Clearwater, according to reports. The blaze resulted in over $1 million in damages and led to a partial roof collapse of the addiction rehab facility.
Clearwater Fire Rescue responded to an emergency call at around 5 a.m., with crews facing a major fire that escalated to a three-alarm status. As WFLA reported, "When they went into the attic to uphold the ceiling, they noticed a large amount of fire, so they immediately went to a second alarm, which brought up the multiple agencies that are here today," Chief David Kadau of Clearwater Fire and Rescue stated. Seventeen residents and five employees were successfully evacuated, with no injuries reported.
The building's owner, Nadia El-Yousef, who established the center over three decades ago, expressed her devastation at the aftermath. "It’s terrible, it’s devastating. I don’t know how this happened," El-Yousef stated/as per WFLA. Concerns also grow around the continuity of care for the displaced patients, currently being addressed by the facility's management. In the meantime, the center is working to ensure ongoing treatment and medication supplies for those affected.
FOX 13 News reported that investigators are treating the fire as accidental, potentially tied to an electrical issue with an industrial freezer in the kitchen. Meanwhile, the Clearwater Fire & Rescue Department posted on their social media that while the cause remains under investigation, state inspectors have been called to assist.
