SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — A child died in an early Wednesday morning fire at an Altamonte Springs apartment complex, according to officials.
More than 70 firefighters rushed to the apartment complex at 857 Ballard Street after receiving calls of a fire around 1:23 a.m., according to Lt. Dave Williams of the Seminole County Fire Department in a news release.
TAKE A LOOK: @MyNews13 obtained video from a resident who left his apartment as the fire blazed through his building. He tells us he sat in his living room, and heard shouting and a loud explosion. “I was minutes before death,” said Uriah Frisby who shared this video with us. pic.twitter.com/9ko24mUY6Q
— Maria Serrano (@mariaserranotv) April 3, 2024
Units were on scene three minutes later as the fire was burning through the roof.
The fire quickly spread to other units at the complex. Overall, the fire affected 12 apartments.
It is unclear how the fire started, but officials say it started in the upper level of the two-story apartment, where they later found the child.
Seminole County Fire Department Fire Chief Matt Kinley said a fire detection system could have been overwhelmed and burnt, but it is unclear if there were any active smoke detectors.
BREAKING NEWS: We’re at the scene of a fire in Altamonte Springs. @SeminoleCountyF says a child who lived in one of the 12 apartments affected by the fire—is now dead. pic.twitter.com/bYSYf64tdA
— Maria Serrano (@mariaserranotv) April 3, 2024
Kinley told Spectrum News 13 that a victim advocate from the Altamonte Springs Police Department is comforting the family of the victim.
“Unfortunately, you can do everything perfect sometimes and tragedy still happens,” Kinley said. “Please have this family in your thoughts. They’re suffering a tragedy that none of us ever wants to experience.”
There were no other reported injuries.
The state fire marshal and Altamonte Springs Police Department are taking over the investigation.
A resident, Uriah Frisby, said he was sitting in his living room when he heard shouting and then a loud explosion. He said he was “minutes before death” when the fire started spreading to his apartment where he lives with his 8-year-old daughter.
“Then I just opened the door and I see the neighbors pleading to me, saying, ‘Can you help? Can you help? Can you help?’ It was just so surreal. Like I said, no hesitation, I grabbed my daughter, and I was outta there,” said the 50-year-old Frisby.
