1 injured in Sanibel condo fire

Published: Updated:
Sam Jones/ WINK

SANIBEL, Fla. — One person was injured in a fire Sunday afternoon at the Blind Pass Condominiums on 5117 Sea Bell Road, according to a Sanibel Police press release.

The injured person was taken to a hospital. The flames, which broke out at about 1 p.m., affected only one condo unit and didn’t spread to others, though multiple units were evacuated, Sanibel Fire Chief Matthew Scott said.

Investigators have ruled the fire accidental, Scott said. An arson task force and the state fire marshal were involved in the investigation.

Units from Sanibel Fire District, Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District, Captiva Fire Control District and Lee Emergency Medical Services were on scene responding to the blaze, Scott said.

The fire was extinguished shortly before 3:15 p.m.

The flames broke out when a girl was playing with a laptop on a mattress, a nearby resident said the family told her. The girl was unhurt but her father suffered minor burns on his arms, face and chest as he tried to get the mattress out of the building, that resident said.

The family of seven was visiting from Virginia, according to the resident.

The condo complex is troublesome for firefighters because of the small and winding roads around it, Scott said. The department routinely performs training at the complex.

Sanibel City Manager Judith Zimomra, F.I.S.H. of Sanibel-Captiva and the Lee County Tourist Development Council are working to help the displaced family. They have another place to stay, food and clothes thanks to F.I.S.H, a social services organization.

Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.