Fire Destroys Lithia Warehouse After Metal Roof Strikes Power Lines

LITHIA, FL — Fire ripped through a small warehouse at 15413 S. County Road 39 in Lithia Friday night, gutting the building.

Hillsborough County Fire Rescue was called at 10:50 p.m. Engine 2 arrived first to find heavy smoke and flames coming from the warehouse and began a defensive attack using water from a fire rescue water tanker because there are no hydrants in the area.

There was an arcing power line on one side of the building that limited access to the fire on that side. Once TECO secured the power line, crews finished putting out the fire.

There were no injuries.

The fire investigations unit believes the fire was caused when strong winds lifted the building's metal roof into nearby power lines.