Florida Firefighters Battle Huge Blaze

Sept. 3, 2007
Flames shot 400 feet into the air.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. --

Firefighters in Orange County said a blaze at an apartment complex under construction Sunday was one of the worst they've fought in years.

Flames shot 400 feet into the air and engulfed the Grandville Apartments located at the intersection of Avalon Park Boulevard and Loyola Circle in east Orange County.

"This is one of the biggest fires we've probably had in the last four or five years in Orange County," Fire Division Chief T.J. Lyon said.

About 100 firefighters worked to contain the blaze.

"You cannot put out a fire of that size itself," Lyon said. "You have to let that part burn out."

Winds blew embers into some nearby woods and they ignited a group of trees.

"Those embers were dropping about a half-mile away and in all directions," Lyon said.

Firefighters were able to keep flames before the nearby Deerwood mobile home park.

"It was a very intense and hot operation," Lyon said.

Fire investigators are trying to determine what sparked the fire.

Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.

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