Lightning Fire at Wesley Chapel Apartments Leaves 167 Displaced

A single lightning strike during an afternoon storm destroyed an apartment building in Wesley Chapel, Florida, last month and displaced more than 160 residents. Weeks later, the fire at Cobalt Apartments has raised questions about how well older safety rules protect renters in buildings where a fire can start where no detector can see it.

What happened

Lightning struck the roof of Building 2 at Cobalt Apartments, 4434 Cobalt Brook Blvd., at about 2:26 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 20, according to Pasco County Fire Rescue as reported by FOX 13 Tampa Bay. The fire grew to three alarms, and Tampa Fire Rescue and Hillsborough County Fire Rescue assisted Pasco crews, CBS12 reported. Firefighters worked through the night, and the fire was out roughly 12 hours later.

The strike knocked out the building's fire alarm panels, and the fire burned in the attic above the reach of most detection systems. Pasco County Fire Rescue Chief Ryan Guynn said the blaze burned for roughly 25 minutes before anyone called 911, telling FOX 13, "We were behind the ball from the start."

Who was affected

More than 90 units were evacuated on the day of the fire, and early estimates put the number displaced at about 200. A later update from FOX 13 put the final count at 167 residents from 83 apartments. No residents or firefighters were injured. Crews rescued dozens of pets, though six animals on the top floor were initially unaccounted for.

The building suffered multiple interior and roof collapses and was declared a total loss and condemned. FOX 13 reported that it was "highly unlikely" residents would be able to retrieve belongings before demolition, for which no start date had been announced.

Response and aid

The American Red Cross and Pasco County Emergency Management provided emergency shelter and connected residents to resources. According to FOX 13, 21 households were relocated within Cobalt, six moved to sister communities and the rest made their own arrangements. Residents also received donated necessities, gift cards, meals, veterinary services and help documenting insurance claims. The leasing office at 4338 Cobalt Brook Blvd. collected donations.

Management said it has offered relocation options, rent credits and deposit processing. An Orlando law firm said it represents more than two dozen displaced residents seeking compensation, FOX 13 reported.

Cause and code questions

Fire officials attributed the fire to the lightning strike. Lightning also damaged alarm systems in Buildings 1 and 3. Building 1's system was repaired and approved by the fire marshal, while Building 3 remained under repair with a continuous fire watch.

County officials said current codes do not require sprinklers in attics, and multifamily buildings under three stories did not require sprinkler systems at all until around 2020 to 2021. Lightning protection is not required for most buildings, and a 2018 proposal to the Florida Building Commission to mandate it was not adopted, officials said.

What renters should take from this

• Ask what protects your building. Before signing a lease, ask whether the building has sprinklers, including in the attic, and when the alarm system was last inspected.
• Do not rely on building alarms alone. Make sure your unit has working smoke alarms, and consider a battery-powered alarm that keeps working if a building system fails.
• Get renters insurance. In a total loss, belongings and temporary housing costs fall on tenants who are not insured. Florida's storm season makes this coverage especially important.
• Keep records off-site. Store copies of your lease, IDs and an inventory of belongings in the cloud so you can file claims even if you cannot re-enter.
• Know your lease rights. Florida law lets tenants end a lease or reduce rent when a casualty that is not their fault makes a unit wholly or partly unlivable. Get any agreement with management in writing.