A lightning strike during a storm ignited a fire that destroyed one building at the Cobalt Apartments complex in Wesley Chapel on August 20. The blaze impacted 83 occupied apartments and displaced 167 residents, with officials stating it is highly unlikely personal belongings can be recovered from the damaged structure. Pasco County Fire Rescue confirmed lightning as the cause of the fire that began around 2:26 p.m. and was extinguished approximately 12 hours later without any reported injuries. The destroyed building has been condemned by county authorities due to structural unsafety, preventing residents from entering before demolition begins.
Key Points:
- Lightning struck the roof of Building 2 during a storm, sparking the fire at about 2:26 p.m.
- The fire was extinguished about 12 hours after it began with no injuries reported
- Building 2 contains 104 apartment homes and has been condemned by the Pasco County Building Department
