A fire at a Lakeland independent living facility left one man dead and sent three people to the hospital early Sunday morning.
The Lakeland Fire Department responded to a fire at Bella Vista Manor, an independent living facility, around 4:30 a.m. Sunday. When firefighters arrived they found heavy fire coming from the fourth floor windows.
Carole Pepin and her mother Lise Smith woke up to see flames billowing out of the building across the street.
“I heard, like, popping noises,” Pepin said. “I thought it was the ice maker in my refrigerator.”
As soon as Pepin realized the building was on fire, she called 911.
Lakeland firefighters, with help from the Lakeland Police Department, were able to evacuate the entire building. A total of 41 residents were in the building at the time of the fire, officials said.
Firefighters were able to extinguish the flames, but during a search of the fourth floor they found one person dead. According to fire officials, the body was so badly burned they have to wait for the medical examiner to identify the victim.
Three people were taken transported for smoke inhalation.
Investigators say the fire originated in the apartment where they found the dead person. The fire is not considered suspicious.
Gloria Lawson's son lives at the independent living facility. She saw the 38-year-old last night and woke up Sunday morning to hear her son’s building was on fire. Her son was able to get out safely.
"Relief," Lawson said, describing how she felt when she knew her son was all right. "Just to see his face, it’s a big relief."
The building does not have a sprinkler system. The Fire Department said the building predates the mandatory sprinkler system, but Lawson says that’s not acceptable.
“That does make me angry,” she said. “You know, seeing that they have too many elderly (people) here and making sure they’re safe, too.”