An unexpected lightning strike has reportedly set off a blaze at the St. Cloud Village apartment complex, according to details from local fire officials. The event, which occurred on a seemingly placid Sunday afternoon, swiftly activated the St. Cloud Fire Department emergency response following multiple 911 calls around 1:30 p.m. Smoke was seen billowing from the building's roof, prompting a quick reaction from first responders.
In a statement reported by ClickOrlando, the fire department reported, "Arriving in minutes, our crews made sure all residents and their pets were safely evacuated, and quickly extinguished the fire before it could spread." Such rapid actions rendered it possible to avert a potentially larger catastrophe.
Unfortunately, the fire rendered eight apartment units uninhabitable, leaving numerous residents out in the aftermath. As often happens in these situations, the American Red Cross is stepping in to assist those whose homes were impacted by the incident. Fire officials have attributed the cause of the fire to a lightning strike and are continuing their investigation into the exact circumstances surrounding the event.
Assisting in the effort to contain and extinguish the flames, the St. Cloud Police Department and Osceola Fire Rescue provided additional support, reported FOX 35 Orlando.
