Fire engulfs apartment building near University of South Florida

Twenty people were left temporarily homeless after fire ripped through an apartment building near the University of South Florida Tuesday evening, according to Hillsborough County Fire Rescue.

One resident's dog died in the fire and an adult female suffered minor injuries when she jumped from her second floor balcony to escape the flames. No one else was seriously injured.

The fire began around 5:30 p.m. and was contained to a single two-story, 8-unit building in the Cordova Apartments complex at 12702 University Club Drive in Tampa, said Fire Rescue spokesman Corey Dierdorff.

Multiple apartments in the wood-framed building were severely damaged or destroyed, he said. The displaced included 14 adults, three teenagers, two toddlers and one infant. The Red Cross is helping with their relocation.

Hillsborough County and Tampa Fire Rescue crews spent about an hour Tuesday night extinguishing the two-alarm fire. About 16 fire engines and 45 firefighters were called to the scene, Dierdorff said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, he said.