Flames spread to Publix as fire reignites at St. Pete Beach shopping plaza

Описание: A fire that first broke out Tuesday afternoon in the CVS at a St. Pete Beach shopping plaza has reignited Tuesday night, with flames spreading to adjacent stores.

Gulf Boulevard is closed in both directions while crews work to get the fire under control.

Pinellas County Emergency Services received a call just after 2:45 p.m. about a structure fire at 4685 Gulf Boulevard.

At least 42 fire units were sent to the three-alarm blaze. Marc Portugal, a spokesperson for St. Pete Beach, said crews believe the fire started inside the CVS.

Cameras showed a large plume of smoke billowing from the store, which is located in the Dolphin Village Shopping Center along with a Publix Super Market, UPS Store, Swim City, Verizon, Playa Bowls and Zenshi Sushi.

Aerial footage from Sky 10 also showed the roof of the CVS charred and disintegrated. The city of St. Pete Beach confirmed that there was a "partial roof collapse."

“We heard the people yelling and then saw the white smoke coming out from over this area and then the black smoke followed behind it,” one witness said.

That’s when people started running out “frantically screaming,” another witness added.

Just before 6:30 p.m., the city of St. Pete Beach said the fire was out. While fire crews said the flames were initially contained to the CVS, the blaze flared back up on Tuesday night, spreading to the Publix in the plaza.

"During overhaul, fire was found in a void space of a front facade with no access points. The fire departments needed to break through the facade with hose lines. At this point, the fire is contained to the front facade," the St. Pete Beach spokesperson said in a 10 p.m. update.