Fire destroys unit at Westchester

Mark Benjamin came within a few minutes of losing his home.

He was working Thursday night, when a fellow Longboat Key Turtle Watch volunteer, who was on the beach for a turtle-nest opening, called him to say that Westchester condominium, where Benjamin lives, was on fire.

Benjamin got home just a few minutes later and found flames still blazing from the first-floor unit where the fire started.

The entire condominium had been evacuated. And although the fire destroyed the unit where it started, major damage didn’t extend to other condominiums.

“It was unbelievable,” Benjamin said. “Had it taken any longer (for the fire department) to get there, I would probably be without my home.”

According to Longboat Key Fire Rescue Chief Paul Dezzi, firefighters responded to the scene at 8:49 p.m. Thursday, July 28, and they quickly called for backup from Sarasota and Manatee counties.

Cyndi Seamon, Turtle Watch volunteer, said that she saw the flames blazing from the building during the nest opening.

“The smoke was bellowing out of Westchester,” she said.

Firefighters forced entry through the locked front door of the first-floor unit, whose owners were walking the beach when the fire started. In approximately 10 minutes, the fire was under control. In about 30 minutes, the fire was extinguished.

“If it had been minutes later, it would have had another floor,” said Dezzi, who noted that good communication helped the effort.

There were no civilian injuries, however, firefighter Joel Castillo was treated for minor burns to his back.
Dezzi estimated total damages at more than $600,000. The unit where the fire broke out sustained the bulk of damages, while units directly above it in the second through sixth floors sustained smoke damage.

According to Dezzi, the state Fire Marshal’s Office continues to investigate the fire, including its causes. On Wednesday, Longboat Key firefighters will return to the scene for an incident review in which they will review policies, determine if additional training is needed and assess the strengths and weaknesses of
the department’s response.

“They were absolute professionals,” Benjamin said of firefighters and police.
 

Warm response
Mark and Monique Benjamin sent this warm response to firefighter and police efforts in a heated situation:

Thank you!!
Longboat Key Fire Rescue
Longboat Key Police Department
Your prompt and professional actions saved our home.
Mark and Monique Benjamin
Westchester condominium