TAMPA, Fla. — Nine families were forced out of their homes following a three-alarm fire at the Turtle Creek Apartments in Hillsborough County, fire crews said.
Crews responded to the fire after receiving multiple 911 calls around 4:20 p.m. Thursday on East Bearss Avenue and Turtle Creek Circle, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue said in a news release.
East Bearss Avenue was closed to traffic as firefighters responded to the incident and has since reopened.
Firefighters were reportedly able to knock down the blaze in just under an hour. One person was injured and a dog died as a result of the fire, but one cat was rescued, crews said.
"It's obviously a devastating loss," an official told 10 Tampa Bay. "Everything is a total loss, some of the other units on the side (and) downstairs, there's some salvageable material in there that has some goods that they can collect... but all these units have substantial damage."
Crews say no firefighters were injured and the cause of the fire is under investigation.