Recently renovated complex damaged

By Times staff writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published May 14, 2002

ST. PETERSBURG -- Two units at the newly renovated Colony Apartments were damaged Monday in a fire that burned through the walls.

No one was injured, but residents were evacuated at 8:42 p.m. from the buildings at 301 Fourth Ave. N.

[Times photo: James Borchuck] Firefighters respond to a two-alarm fire at the Colony Apartments at 301 Fourth Ave. N in St. Petersburg. Two units were damaged.

"I thought it was incense or something," said Justin Shores, 19, who lives on the second floor with his girlfriend, Brandy Carrico, also 19. "But then I walked outside and saw smoke coming from the air conditioner."

Fire Lt. Chris Bengivengo said the fire started in a vacant first floor unit and spread to the upper, occupied apartment.

Investigators said the fire might have started because of an electrical malfunction, or after plumbers soldered pipes in the vacant unit. A resident told firefighters he saw smoke coming from his sink drain.

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