Local reality star identified as Naples building fire victim

NAPLES, Fla. – The Naples Fire Department confirmed one person died in a structure fire Friday morning.

Authorities identified the victim as 32-year-old Steven Leonard. Police say he lived in the apartment above.
Friends say Leonard was a cast member of the reality TV show, Paradise Coast Wives, that was filmed in Naples.

“It’s devastating. I mean he’s a great guy and always fun, always smiling. He had a great energy.  It’s a tragedy,” said ITZ Media Group CEO, Chuck Ardezzone, who filmed the show.

The fire happened around 6 a.m. in a commercial building containing multiple businesses on the 1100 block of Fifth Avenue South in Downtown Naples.

Naples Fire Chief Steve McInenry says it’s an older building was re-roofed over highly flammable foam insulation.

The chief believes the fire started at the front of the building and spread quickly.

“There’s no sprinklers in this building. There is smoke detectors and part of this investigation is to find out if the smoke detectors were working or not,” said McInenry.

The State Fire Marshal is on scene, collecting evidence to find out if the fire was electrical.

Chief McInerny estimates the damage to the building and its contents is about $2 million.