A fire at a Pinellas Park business yesterday evening prompted a hazmat response due to the presence of hazardous chemicals, forcing local residents to remain indoors. The Pinellas Park Police Department and the Pinellas Park Fire Department were on scene shortly before 8 p.m. after reports of an odor and fog in the area, as WFLA reported. The exact location of the incident was in the vicinity of 62nd Avenue and 53rd Street, where a storage unit at the unidentified business caught fire.
Officials warned those residing between 58th Street and 49th Street, and between 62nd Avenue and 70th Avenue, to remain within their homes while the situation was managed, as per FOX 13 News. Traffic was also disrupted, with a closure on 62nd Avenue between 58th Street and 49th Street being implemented to secure the area. This precautionary measure aimed at ensuring the safety of the community members as emergency services worked to contain and extinguish the blaze.
EMS Division Chief Ryan Mitchell described the initial scene, explaining, "Our initial arriving crews noted a storage unit with a plume coming out of it," leading to the prompt upgrading of their response to include hazardous materials expertise. Unfortunately, one firefighter was hospitalized but in stable condition, authorities confirmed. Meanwhile, evacuation centers such as the Broderick Recreation Center were established for residents in need, though no civilian injuries were reported, as WFLA detailed.
Efforts from various agencies across Pinellas County supported the firefighting teams in managing the emergency, which concluded with the fire being brought under control by midnight. The shelter-in-place order was lifted at 12:30 a.m. today, according to a statement from fire officials quoted by Tampa Bay 28 News. Although the specifics of the chemicals present were not released, the quick action by first responders prevented any widespread harm to the community.
