Massive Wesley Chapel apartment fire leaves about 200 displaced

WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. - Pasco County firefighters are battling a massive three-alarm apartment fire on Jermyn Loop in Wesley Chapel. 

Fire crews respond in Wesley Chapel

What we know:

Pasco County Fire Rescue crews are on the scene of an apartment fire in the 3900 block of Jermyn Loop, which sparked Thursday afternoon. 

Arriving crews found the massive fire and immediately cleared the building. Emergency responders elevated the incident to a three-alarm fire as firefighters actively worked to contain the flames. 

Officials said the apartment building had about 90 units that were all impacted, which means about 200 civilians could be displaced due to the fire. 

While no injuries have been reported, dozens of pets — including cats and dogs — have been rescued from the building. 

Hillsborough County Fire Rescue and Tampa Fire Rescue also responded to the fire to help get the blaze under control. Firefighters are expected to be at the scene throughout the night and into Friday as they continue monitoring hot spots. 

Pasco County Emergency Management and the Red Cross are assisting displaced residents and their pets.

Pasco fire officials on battling blaze

What they're saying:

Pasco Fire Chief Ryan Guynn says crews encountered dangerous conditions inside the building as they battled the fire.

"Because of heavy fire load, we've had multiple collapses where the floors have pancaked in on themselves," he said. "So it's making the operations extremely difficult."

The cause remains under investigation, although several people FOX 13 spoke with believe lightning may have sparked the fire. Guynn says a strong storm with heavy lightning moved through the area around the time the fire started.

"They had a bad storm, and we did have a bad storm come through with a heavy lightning," he said. "And it's very possible, but we haven't even started our investigation phase yet."

What we don't know:

Authorities have also not released details on what caused the fire, and officials continue to ask people to avoid the area. 

Residents displaced

Local perspective:

Cynthia Mendoza, who lives on the fourth floor with her daughter, says her apartment was destroyed.

"There's nothing there," she said. "There's probably nothing left in my apartment."

Elmes Rivera says his daughter, Chloe, lives on the first floor. Her 2-year-old terrier mix, Jax, was trapped inside.

"The whole top was engulfed," he said. "They weren't letting anybody in to get their dogs or anything like that."

Rivera says firefighters eventually rescued Jax through a window.

"I was emotional," he said. "So I'm like, ‘I need to go get the dog,’ and they're like, 'no, you can't go into the building.'"

"Luckily the fireman broke through the windows and was able to get him out," he said.

Daniel Trask, who lives in the apartment complex, says residents who lost everything could face a long recovery.

"Not only do you lose everything, but then you're spending the next six months trying to recover everything and figure out where you're going to stay," he said. "Where you going to live."

Editor's Note: Initially, authorities reported that 400 people were displaced, but have since scaled that number down to 200.  

Pasco CountyFire