CLEARWATER, Fla. — Firefighters were battling a three-alarm blaze at a Clearwater treatment center on Sunday morning.
Clearwater Fire and Rescue personnel responded to a fire at Fairwinds Treatment Center, 1569 S. Fort Harrison Ave., shortly after 5 a.m.
17 residents and five staff members were able to self-evacuate after the fire started.
No injuries were reported to those inside the center or to firefighters. More than 20 units from Clearwater and surrounding agencies, including Dunedin, Safety Harbor, Largo, and Seminole, responded to help fight the three-alarm fire.
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Fire inspectors from Clearwater Fire and Rescue were on the scene to determine the cause of the blaze. The state fire marshal's office will also be involved due to the amount of damage to the structure. At around 5 p.m. on Sunday, officials ruled the preliminary cause to be accidental, with an electrical issue in an industrial freezer likely being the reason.
Damages to the building are estimated to exceed $1 million.
South Fort Harrison Avenue was closed between Belleair Road and Woodlawn Avenue.
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