DUNEDIN, Fla. — A fire broke out at a senior living facility early Tuesday morning in Dunedin, prompting residents to shelter in place and sending one person to the hospital.
Dunedine Fire-Rescue said crews were dispatched to Mease Life, a nine-story independent and assisted living facility, around 4:40 a.m. They also received additional reports of visible smoke coming from the ninth floor.
When they arrived, they upgraded the response to a structure fire and requested additional resources. The fire was isolated to the roof of the north wing of the building, and firefighters brought it under control within around 20 minutes.
The building was not ordered to evacuate, but residents were advised to shelter in place. There are no plans to relocate residents from their units at this time, as the damage is limited to a section of the roof.
One 93-year-old woman was treated on scene for smoke inhalation and taken to a local hospital in stable condition.
Officials said the fire may have originated in an area that has recently undergone construction and roofing work, but the cause remains under investigation.
“You know, it might just be time we take a look if HOAs are really even necessary.
Maybe we should just do away with homeowner associations as a whole.”
South Florida lawmaker Rep. Juan Carlos Porras (R-Miami) says it may be time to do away with homeowners associations altogether, as more Floridians speak out about rising fees, costly lawsuits, and even arrests tied to HOA disputes. He said this week that he is considering filing legislation in the next session that would abolish HOAs statewide.
