2 people dead, 5 injured after Charlotte County apartment fire

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The scorched outside of a building at Trail Apartments, where a fire killed two people and injured five others, Tuesday, March 28, 2023. Credit: WINK News

Two people are dead and five were injured following a Tuesday morning fire at a Charlotte County apartment.

The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office says an adult and a child were the ones killed.

According to Charlotte County Fire & EMS, the fire occurred at Trail Apartments, located at 11021 Tamiami Trail. Fire crews received a call around 7 a.m. and saw heavy smoke and flames rising from the apartment. They were able to get it under control within 10 minutes.

Three injured people, including a child, were hospitalized with serious burns, while two received minor injuries. One of the people injured has been released from the hospital.

The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office is not ready to release the identities of the adult and child who died Tuesday morning.

The charred exterior of a building at Trail Apartments, where a fire killed two people, Tuesday, March 28, 2023. Credit: WINK News

WINK News spoke with Charlotte County resident Claudette Smith about the fire.

“Keep the family and the members of this building in your thoughts and in your prayers, I’m as well as the first responders because they showed up, and those people who showed up have families as well and they couldn’t get inside to see those individuals, and that’s weighing heavy on them to,” Smith said.

Charlotte County Fire believes it was a family in the apartment. While the flames were contained in a single apartment, the whole building was heavily damaged.

The fire is out, but firefighters are working on hot spots as they pop up. The state fire marshal has joined Charlotte County Fire and Charlott County Sheriff’s Office to investigate.

The Red Cross got to the scene quickly. Volunteers know they’re needed to help with immediate needs.

“They are not sure where they are going to sleep tonight or where their next meal is coming from,” Jeff Brisendine from the Red Cross said.

Brisendine is new to the Red Cross and this was his first deadly fire.

“It’s horrific. It’s my second event with red cross, and its quite a tragedy,” Brisendine said.

“If they need a hotel, if they need to buy gas, if they need to buy food, clothing, whatever it may be under circumstances. its just a little bit to get them started,” Brisendine said.

Todd Dunn of Charlotte County Fire reminds people to keep a working smoke detector in their homes.

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