A fire at The Social Seminole apartments in Tallahassee injured at least eight people Wednesday night, Nov. 19.
A massive blaze broke out on the third floor of Building F shortly before 10:30 p.m. and quickly spread.
“When I first saw it, it was one apartment,” resident Turner Colbert said. “And then it became the whole building. I watched the whole thing happen. It was crazy.”
Some occupants jumped from the three-story building to escape the inferno, he said. Two people trapped in their second-floor apartments were rescued by firefighters.
Eight people injured were taken to a local hospital. A firefighter was treated at the scene for minor injuries.
The Tallahassee Fire Department quickly controlled the fire, but 12 of the building’s 24 apartments were “pretty much destroyed,” TFD public information officer Lt. Todd Inserra said.
“This was a multi-residential structure, three floors, fire on every floor basically,” he said. “So this was certainly not a run-of-the-mill response.”
The Social Seminole reportedly placed students displaced by the fire in temporary rooms.
Photos show apartment fire near FSU in Tallahassee, Florida, at the Social SeminoleWhat caused the Social Seminole apartment fire in Tallahassee, Florida?
The cause of the fire is currently unknown and under investigation.
“We’re not sure,” Tallahassee Police Lt. James Martinez said. “It’s going to be a TFD primary investigation between them and the State Fire Marshal’s Office.”
Who was injured in the Tallahassee fire at Social Seminole apartments in Florida?
Eight people were injured. A firefighter sustained minor injuries and was treated at the scene, while the others were taken to a local hospital.
Four patients were discharged, two are in fair condition and two were transferred to a specialty hospital for advanced care, a Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare spokesperson said.
The two victims were likely transferred to a hospital with a burn unit, though hospital officials could not confirm because of patient privacy laws. They also could not share the severity of the injuries of those who were transferred.
Where is the Social Seminole apartment complex in Tallahassee, Florida? How far from FSU campus?
The Social Seminole apartments are located at 1001 Ocala Road, Tallahassee, Florida, about 1 mile or a 6-minute drive from Florida State University in Leon County.
How to help students impacted by Social Seminole apartment fire in Tallahassee near Florida State University?
The Red Cross says the fire displaced 72 adults, one infant, and four pets — including 53 FSU students, many of who lost everything in the blaze.
Community members who would like to support students impacted by the fire can do so by donating to the Student Emergency Fund. The fund helps to support students in distress so they can continue to pursue their academics.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Tallahassee fire at Social Seminole apartments. How to help