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Fire erupts at pool supply store
By CARRIE JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
HOMOSASSA SPRINGS -- Fear of dangerous chemical explosions forced firefighters to block off a section of Grover Cleveland Boulevard and evacuate nearby residents when a pool supply company caught fire Wednesday evening. The blaze erupted about 5:45 p.m. at Summit Pool & Supplies, 7975 W Grover Cleveland Blvd., after the store had closed for the day, said county Fire Services Director Mike Schlaudraff. No one was inside the business, and no injuries were reported, he said. Firefighters from Homosassa, Chassahowitzka, Connell Heights and Crystal River responded to the fire. Mindful of the hazardous chemicals stored inside, they quickly evacuated nearby Elks Lodge No. 2693 and blocked off the area around the store. The county's hazardous materials team was also called to the building. Firefighters were allowed to stay inside the building for only 20 minutes, then they had to be sprayed down with hoses and have their vital signs monitored by emergency medical workers. "We're trying to be very, very safe," Schlaudraff said. Owners Bob and Carol Martin were at home when their son called to tell them about the fire. Helplessly, they watched the flames through the front window, and smoke billowed from the roof. "We don't know what happened," said Bob Martin, who bought the store about two years ago. "Nobody has told us anything." After several flareups, firefighters had the flames under control by about 7 p.m. Then members of the county's hazardous materials team were sent in to clean up the muriatic acid and chlorine still inside the store. A hole was burned through the roof, but the frame of the building was intact. The cause and origin of the fire are still unknown, Schlaudraff said. The state Fire Marshal's Office was called in to investigate. -- Carrie Johnson can be reached at 860-7309 or cjohnson@sptimes.com .
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
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