ST. PETERSBURG — A young family is homeless after flames consumed most of its two-story home Friday night.
Smoke and fire could be seen in the second-floor windows of the wood house at 1414 Seventh St. S when St. Petersburg firefighters arrived at about 6:25 p.m., said fire rescue officials.
Fire crews contained the flames in less than 15 minutes and saved the first floor of the house. Nevertheless, Ebony Johnson, 29, Fontasia Cooper, 19, and their three children have lost their home.
The family was not in the rental property when the fire started. The parents returned with their children, ages 8, 5 and 3, to find the house engulfed in flames.
They told fire rescue officials they had lost all their personal possessions.
The American Red Cross Tampa Bay volunteered to help them.
"We provided the family with clothing, food," said spokeswoman Janet McGuire. "They are staying with family members, so we didn't have to help with that."
McGuire said the family has been asked to stay in touch with the Red Cross so that the organization can continue to help it.
Investigators have yet to determine the cause of the fire, rescue dispatchers said Saturday. The house did not have a working smoke alarm.
Damages are estimated at $50,000, or nearly a third of the total value of the $167,000 home.
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