A building under construction in Winter Haven suffered extensive damage after a fire tore through the structure causing the roof to collapse.
On January 12, 2024 at approximately 9:30 p.m., Winter Haven Fire crews responded to a structure fire at 1599 6th St. SE in Winter Haven. Crews arrived to flames shooting through the roof of the building that was under construction.
Five crews from the Winter Haven Fire Department and a crew from Polk County Fire tackled the blaze for close to two hours until the scene was deemed safe for investigators to begin sifting through the rubble.
During the event, a neighboring two-story apartment complex could potentially have been impacted. Members from the Winter Haven Police Department evacuated all residents until the fire was out. The apartment structure did not suffer any damage and there were no injuries to either civilians or firefighters.
“This was an extensive fire with buildings very close that were in danger of being impacted,” said Fire Chief Sonny Emery. “Our crews were dedicated to not only extinguishing the flames, but maintaining a constant defense to protect the surrounding structures.”
The fire is currently under investigation.