WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — Firefighters battled a large fire for hours late Friday, which prompted the evacuation of a nearby apartment complex.
Crews responded around 9:30 p.m. to a building under construction at the intersection of 6th Street SE and Piedmont Drive, according to the Winter Haven Police Department.
Police say the city fire department and Polk County Fire crews spent about two hours trying to extinguish the fire as flames shot through the roof. At some point, the building's roof collapsed.
Residents inside a nearby two-story apartment were evacuated in case their building was impacted, the police department said.
No one, including firefighters, was hurt during the fire.
"This was an extensive fire with buildings very close that were in danger of being impacted," Fire Chief Sonny Emery said in a statement. "Our crews were dedicated to not only extinguishing the flames but maintaining a constant defense to protect the surrounding structures."
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
