April 09--BRADENTON -- A fire in a Bradenton apartment late Monday sent neighbors scrambling outside after they heard an explosion.
At about 11:30 p.m., Bradenton fire and police units responded to the apartment in the 1200 block of Carlton Arms Circle in Carlton Arms apartments and found heavy smoke and flames coming from the rear of the two-story apartment building, according to a news release.
"A second alarm was called due to the extreme fire conditions encountered and the size of the building involved," the Bradenton Fire Department said in the release.
Brittany Arrigo and her husband had heard the explosion from the back yard of their nearby home and called 911, she said.
"My husband ran outside and the backyard was engulfed in flames," Arrigo said.
He then ran to knock on the door of the apartment and discovered no one was home. The couple knocked on neighbors' doors to alert them of the fire.
Within minutes, the police and the fire trucks, she said.
When police arrived, they evacuated the remainder of the apartment building as Bradenton firefighters fought the blaze, according to a police report.
Damage from the fire has been estimated at about $125,000.
No one was home at the time of the fire. The American Red Cross responded to assist the tenant.
As a result of minor smoke damage to the adjacent apartment, property management provided the residents with with housing elsewhere in the apartment complex, according to the fire department.
The remaining 10 units in the building were not damaged, officials said.
Arrigo, however, said that there was still a strong odor from the smoke in their home, and she stayed with friends as a precaution.
"It was really terrifying," Arrigo said.
"All of our attics are connected, so we didn't know if the fire spread or if it would start again."
The Bradenton fire marshal is investigating the cause of the fire, with the assistance of the state fire marshal.
Units from East Manatee, Southern Manatee and North River fire districts assisted in fighting the blaze.
Jessica De Leon, Herald law enforcement reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7049. You can follow her on Twitter @JDeLeon1012.
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