Some 15 to 17 people were displaced by an apartment fire early this morning in the Temple Terrace-Del Rio area, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue said.
Firefighters responded to the fire at the Hidden River Grande Apartments, 3812 River Vista Ln., around 3 a.m., Hillsborough County Fire Rescue said. At least eight units were damaged by either fire or water.
Residents in the impacted units were able to escape safely even though their smoke alarms were not working, Fire Rescue spokesman Ronnie Rivera said.
"The people either got out because they smelled smoke or flames or they got out because our crews knocked on their doors or forced doors open, woke them up and basically saved their lives," Rivera said.
No injuries were reported. Red Cross and Office of Emergency Management officials are helping the displaced residents.
But at least one resident said she lost everything.
"I have no clothes; I have nothing," Carmen Dean said. "I just moved here five months ago."
Apartment complex officials didn't return phone calls from Bay News 9 concerning the malfunctioning smoke alarms. A reporter was told to leave the property.
An investigation is underway.