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Quick actions by a police officer and people inside the two burning buildings help prevent any deaths.
By PATRICK COOPER
© St. Petersburg Times, published January 30, 2001
ST. PETERSBURG -- Police Officer Thad Crisco was driving along 16th Street about midnight Sunday when he saw smoke.
Crisco quickly pulled over and banged on doors at 1608 and 1618 Burlington Ave. N, waking residents who evacuated as the rear of both buildings burned.
Police and fire officials said the quick actions of Crisco and people inside helped prevent a tragedy. Nine people escaped the buildings safely, and firefighters extinguished the blazes in about an hour, according to fire officials.
The fires were intentionally set at the adjacent buildings, police said. Damage has been estimated at $30,000 for each building.
Most of the damage was to the back of the long, single-story buildings, each of which has three apartments. The units closest to the back were charred, but they currently are unoccupied, said Phuoc Nguyen, the manager of the buildings.
Police have not determined if the two fires are related to a recent rash of arson fires near downtown, officials said.
At least 13 fires have been set along the Central Avenue corridor since Nov. 5. Most of the fires have been set in two square blocks bounded by Fifth and Seventh Streets, and Second and Third avenues S. Burlington Avenue is just north of First Avenue N.
A $2,500 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest in any of the arsons.
The latest fires were set in the rear of the buildings.
As Crisco was trying to wake everyone in the two buildings, the Tran family in the 1618 building was waking up to the smell of smoke.
Hong Tran, 16, said her mother heard a crash outside, spotted the fire through a bathroom window and then woke the family.
Her father tried to call 911, but the phone line was dead, Hong Tran said. By then Crisco was there to make the call.
The two-alarm fire did not do serious damage to the occupied units, including the Trans' concrete block unit closest to the street. Residents were without electricity and phone service Monday morning.
The Trans hoped to move back in Monday, but some danger still existed. One of the burned sections of the 1608 building began smoking again late Monday morning, and firefighters returned.
Lt. Chris Bengivengo of the St. Petersburg Fire Department said residents should be vigilant of suspicious activity in their neighborhoods as well as keeping debris away from buildings and having adequate outside lighting.
The Tampa Bay chapter of Red Cross found lodging for the victims early Monday morning and provided food and clothing vouchers for the Tran family, according to chapter officials.
"When you have a fire like this, you don't realize how many things you lose," said Janet McGuire, director of public affairs for the chapter. They also provided medication and eyeglasses to one victim whose apartment also was damaged in the fire.
McGuire said most people think of the Red Cross as giving help to hurricane victims and don't realize how often the agency has to help after fires. "We do this on a daily basis because these people who lose their houses are just as traumatized," she said.
The agency has seen an increased need this year for aiding fire-displaced families. While they usually care for about one displaced family a day, McGuire said they are exceeding their average.