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Four injured by fire at retirement facility
By KEVIN GRAHAM TAMPA -- A woman fell asleep smoking a cigarette Friday morning, igniting a fire that sent her and three sheriff's deputies to the hospital, authorities said. Employees at Arbor Village, a retirement facility for the mentally ill at 13107 N 22nd St., said Andrea Brown was in her room smoking just before 11 a.m. when she fell asleep and the arm of her jacket caught fire. Brown was taken to University Community Hospital, where she was in fair condition Friday evening, a hospital spokeswoman said. Three Hillsborough sheriff's deputies suffered smoke inhalation. Deputies Mario Tamargo, Rick Siebert and James Moseley were taken to University Community Hospital for observation, according to a sheriff's spokeswoman, after they went into the smoke-filled building to help evacuate residents. A UCH spokeswoman said the deputies were treated and released. A second resident was hospitalized and treated for injuries he got when he broke Brown's bedroom window with his fist to make sure no one else was in the room, said Randy Lomboy, assistant manager at Arbor Village. Brown was alone, Lomboy said. Brown, 57, was regularly reminded that smoking inside the facility was not allowed, said Lomboy. "We let them know we do not allow smoking inside when they sign the contract," Lomboy said. One of the 20 residents at Arbor Village heard noises and saw smoke coming from Brown's room and pulled her out, said Lisa Perez, an aide at the facility. Perez said the smoke alarm went off twice before anyone was able to find the fire. "By the time the Fire Department got here, we had the fire out," she said. Lomboy said the only thing severely damaged inside the room was Brown's bed.
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