A child was killed, and multiple families were displaced, after a massive two-alarm fire ignited inside an apartment complex in Altamonte Springs on Wednesday.
In the early morning hours, a fire broke out at Charter Pointe Apartments located in the 800 block of Ballard Street in Altamonte Springs. Seminole County Fire Department units rushed to the scene, arriving within a few minutes, according to SCFD.
Firefighters immediately began battling the blaze. Maitland Fire Rescue Department and Longwood Fire Department also sent units to the apartment complex to assist with extinguishing the large fire.
According to SCFD, the flames were contained to seven lived-in units, and a total of 24 residents were displaced. The American Red Cross of Central Florida arrived on scene to assist those individuals who were affected by the fire.
In a social media post on Wednesday evening, SCFD stated that it is “heartbroken and deeply saddened” to report that one of the residents, an unidentified child who attended Lake Orienta Elementary School, died in the fire.
The cause of the blaze is currently being investigated by the State Fire Marshall.
No further details were released by the Seminole County Fire Department.