2 hospitalized after generators left running overnight in Seminole Heights complex, officials say

SEMINOLE HEIGHTS, Fla. - A man is in critical condition after an outside company that was hired to clean up after a small fire allegedly left two generators running in a mixed-use apartment complex along Florida Avenue in Seminole Heights. 

First responders were called to the Oaks at Riverview late Friday morning after a man in his 50s was found unconscious inside his second-floor apartment. 

"They obviously noticed that something was not right, and they called for a full hazmat response. When our hazmat team arrived on scene, they found high levels of carbon monoxide in the building," said Capt. Henry Williams of Tampa Fire Rescue, adding that 12 units in the building were evacuated.

As crews treated the unresponsive man, hazmat crews searched for other possible victims. Meanwhile, firefighters began evacuating the building after noticing a heavy exhaust odor. 

First responders eventually found the culprits – two generators were running in two locations within the three-story complex; one on an open balcony of a third-floor apartment and one inside a unit on the first floor.

One of them had been left running since the previous evening, Tampa Fire Rescue said.

"We see these calls more frequently than we would like to, and there are situations that are senseless and they can be mitigated and hopefully not with these results," said Williams about responding to carbon monoxide poisoning calls.

During the investigation, TFR realized a fire had been reported the day before inside one of the retail spaces in the first floor of the complex. The building's sprinkler system put out the fire, but the unit had smoke and water damage.

Tampa Fire Rescue said a restoration company was hired to clean up the mess and workers likely used the generators to power their equipment. 

Tampa Housing Authority sent FOX13 an email with details about the incidents, stating Spaulding Decon, a remediation company, was hired to dry out water damage from the apartment fire. THA said there was some discussion about leaving the door open for the generator in the retail space, but ultimately the door was closed. THA said Edgewood Management manages the property, and Urban Atlantic owns the building. FOX13 reached out to the property management company, the building owners and the remediation company for comment Friday but did not hear back.
"People gotta be more responsible doing stuff, you know. A generator shouldn’t be indoors. That can cause anybody to lose their life," said resident Chris Agosto. "[You’ve] gotta be safe. I got kids, and we all could’ve went to sleep and not woke up."

Williams said the fire marshal is looking whether there were working carbon monoxide detectors and who was in charge of the generator left inside the building. TFR also shared some poisoning signs to watch for and recommends everyone check the batteries in their smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

"A headache, fatigue, redness of the eyes, extreme factors like what we saw today is unconsciousness and altered mental status, confused for no apparent reason," said Williams about carbon monoxide poisoning.

In addition to two people being taken to the hospital, another three were treated at the scene but refused further medical care. The building was cleared about a couple of hours Friday and released back to property management.