A fire destroyed a building at an apartment complex in Sanford early Sunday morning.
Firefighters from the Sanford Fire Department and Seminole County Fire Rescue were called to the Sanford Landing Apartments, located at 1809 Landing Drive off State Road 46-A, around 4:30 a.m.
When firefighters arrived they found flames shooting up from the roof of the 8 unit apartment building. The fire moved quickly from the balcony to the attic, and then to the roof.
The cause of the fire is under investigation but fire officials believe the fire started from a gas grill that was on one of the balconies.
"Apartment styles like this, combustible materials are not allowed on the balcony. Charcoal grills, gas grills or electric grills are not allowed on combustible balconies because things like this could happen," said Mark James from the Sanford Fire Department.
Several residents were evacuated from the building. No one was injured.
"I was about to make breakfast and then I saw smoke coming from the vents and you know the connection box and I saw black smoke and I was like I haven't started cooking yet, where is the smoke coming from. Then I heard someone knocking at my door and it was the cops saying get out, get out," said Umar Aliyu.
Early damage estimates are more than $500,000. Apartment management says they have already moved the displaced residents into new apartments.