WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. — Fire officials have confirmed a lightning strike caused a fire that destroyed the Cobalt Apartments in Wesley Chapel, displacing more than 200 residents.
More than 200 people were displaced after a fire tore through the Cobalt Apartments in Wesley Chapel.
The Pasco Fire Department says the building has been condemned and is at risk of collapse, meaning no fire crews can enter to recover items left inside. What happens to the building next is up to the property owners.
Watch report from Annette Gutierrez
More than 90 apartments were evacuated. No injuries were reported, but at least 6 pets — including cats, dogs, and birds — are missing.
Officials say fire crews faced a 25-minute delay in responding because the building's fire alarm did not go off. That failure is now under investigation, as is the reason the fire spread as quickly as it did. Officials note every property is built differently.
For many residents, the reality of losing their homes is only now setting in.
"There's no words," said Susan Hooper, who lost her apartment in the fire.
"We're sleeping in our cars and everything, so exhausted, tired, you know, just low key lost," said Cristian Riveron, who also lost his apartment.
"I've been in and out of tears since the fire started yesterday," said Priscilla Quintana, who lives with Riveron.
Riveron described the moment he realized how severe the fire was.
"Somebody came in banging our doors, fire, fire, fire," Riveron said. "And then it just kept getting worse and worse and worse and worse and started spreading, that's when I looked at her. I said. Yeah, I think we just lost everything."
Because the building has been condemned, residents cannot return inside to retrieve any belongings that may have survived the fire.
While some pets were lost in the fire, many others were recovered — including Hooper's dog, Dixie Rose. Hooper said Dixie Rose helped her through the grief of losing her husband, and a firefighter rescued the dog during the blaze.
"We rescued her. Then when my husband died 2 years ago, she rescued me. So that's how much she means to me," Hooper said. "And now yesterday that fireman rescued her again and I gave him the biggest hug I could give somebody."
And Hooper is counting her blessings.
"The important thing is I'm alive. My David's alive, and Dixie's safe," Hooper said.
As residents face the task of starting over, the community has rallied around them. A model home at the leasing office has been filled with clothes, kitchen essentials, toiletries, and other necessities.
"Everybody has been so great," Hooper said.
Chadwell Supplies donated approximately 180 care packages containing clothes, air mattresses, and other essentials.
"We heard about the fire and we felt bad for them and we decided to put together some care packages that the tenants, the residents could use in this time of need," said Torzell Thompson, logistics coordinator at Chadwell Supplies.
Employees from The Grove also donated their time to help displaced residents.
"It's scary that it can happen so close," said Drew Trayer, a maintenance technician at The Grove. "We're here to, you know, do everything we can to try to help all the residents."
Cobalt Apartments is continuing to accept donations for those affected by the fire.
And Riveron and Quintana have a GoFundMe to help start the rebuilding process.
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