Firefighters battle blaze in Winter Haven

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — A building under construction in Winter Haven suffered extensive fire damage on Friday after the blaze caused the roof to collapse.
At about 9:30 p.m., the Winter Haven Fire Department responded to the fire at 1599 6th St. Southeast. When firefighters arrived, flames were shooting through the roof of the building that was under construction, according to department officials.
Five crews from the Winter Haven Fire Department and a unit from Polk County Fire Rescue battled the blaze for about two hours until it was deemed safe enough for investigators to sift through the rubble.
During the blaze, a neighboring two-story apartment complex was at risk of catching fire, officials said. The Winter Haven Police Department evacuated all residents until the fire was out. The apartment structure did not suffer any damage and there were no injuries to either residents or firefighters.
"This was an extensive fire with buildings very close that were in danger of being impacted," said Fire Chief Sonny Emery. "Our crews were dedicated to not only extinguishing the flames but maintaining a constant defense to protect the surrounding structures."
The fire is currently under investigation.