Man dies in fire at Seminole senior living complex

SEMINOLE, Fla. - Detectives are investigating the cause of a fire at an apartment building in Seminole that left a 65-year-old man dead. The fire began around 4 a.m. Wednesday morning at the Seminole Gardens apartments on 110th street North.

Seminole Fire Rescue Chief Heather Burford says when the first units arrived to the three-story building, they found heavy smoke coming from a second-floor apartment. When firefighters went inside, they found a 65-year-old male victim on the floor. Crews moved the man outside but he died at the scene. No other injuries were reported.

Chief Burford says dozens of firefighters from the Seminole, Largo, and surrounding departments helped put the fire out within 15 minutes. She says the fire was contained to one unit on the second floor. At least five surrounding apartments sustained smoke damage, displacing residents.

Burford says there were no sprinkler systems in the apartments since it was an older building that did not require sprinklers. However, she did say the complex does have a "robust fire alarm system."

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office says next of kin for the male victim has not been notified. 

The cause of the fire is under investigation.