The Brief
- A massive three-alarm fire tore through a CVS on Gulf Boulevard in St. Pete Beach on Tuesday afternoon, forcing nearby stores to evacuate.
- The flames quickly consumed the CVS, causing the roof to collapse.
- No timeline has been given for when the CVS will reopen as the investigation into the fire’s cause continues.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla – A massive three-alarm fire tore through a CVS on Gulf Boulevard in St. Pete Beach on Tuesday afternoon, sending thick smoke into the air and forcing nearby stores to evacuate. While no injuries were reported, residents and workers were left stunned — many just reopening stores from last fall’s hurricane flooding.
“It was terrifying,” said Alex Sparra, who was near the scene when the fire broke out. “I heard the alarms go off and all the people come out, and within five minutes the whole thing was ablaze.”
His brother Max adding, “At first I thought the whole strip was on fire. It hits pretty close to home.”
The flames quickly consumed the CVS, causing the roof to collapse. Multiple businesses in the plaza suffered smoke damage, including Swim City, where employee Michelle Stapleton escaped.…