Three Apartments Damaged In Beneva Ridge Fire

Three apartments have been claimed in a four-alarm blaze that continues to burn at Beneva Ridge Apartments, according to Sarasota County Fire Battalion Chief Mike Regnier.

The Sarasota County Fire Department received the call at 2:04 p.m. for 4001 Beneva Road, according to a dispatch report. The single apartment fire had spread and affected three of the units in the six-unit building, Regnier said.

Two have extensive damage and the third apartment is being evaluated for damage as firefighters are trenching the area to stop the fire from spreading, he said.

One firefighter is being treated at a local hospital for heat exhaustion, Regnier said.

The Red Cross is on the scene assisting residents and firefighters, he added.

Beneva Road south of Bee Ridge Road is closed in the northbound lanes from Wilkinson Road to Bee Ridge Road until further notice, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office.

Dispatch reports gave an estimated time to battle the fire until 7 p.m. — before rains moved into the area.

The cause of the fire is not yet known.