Furniture store fire under investigation in Tampa
TAMPA (FOX 13) - A Tampa police helicopter was brought in to help Hillsborough County Fire Rescue fight a two-alarm blaze at a furniture store Sunday night.
When crews arrived, heavy smoke and flames were already billowing from the building's windows and roof. With mattresses and furniture packed inside the Southern Used Furniture store, firefighters called in a second unit to help keep the fire from growing out of hand.
A flashover forced firefighters to retreat from the building and fight the fire from the outside. Aerial units were also brought in to douse the flames through the building's collapsing roof.
Tampa PD air service provided a video downlink to aid the incident commander by showing hot spots.
Firefighters were able to contain the flames to one unit of the building, preventing major damage to adjacent businesses.
The structure that was once home to Southern Used Furniture was determined to be a complete loss. Tampa Fire says damage to the building and its contents is estimated at $165,000.
The business owner was in the building at the time of the fire but was able to escape unharmed. One firefighter sustained minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital.
The cause of the fire has yet to be determined and remains under investigation.