Leah Burdick, Alyssa Cortes, and Faith Montalvo also contributed to this story.
TAMPA, Fla. — A car caught fire inside the Rick Thomas Parking Garage around 8 p.m. Thursday, March 27, causing students to evacuate the structure and drawing a swift response from local authorities.
According to the Tampa Police Department (TPD), a UTampa student was driving on the second floor of the garage when her car went up in flames. She safely exited the vehicle and called for help. No injuries were reported, and no other vehicles were damaged.
“At approximately 7:55 p.m. last night, there was a car fire on the second floor of the Thomas Parking Garage,” said Samuel Ponce, associate director of Campus Safety. “The vehicle was being driven by two female students who were able to pull the car over and exit the vehicle safely. The Tampa Police Department and Tampa Fire Rescue arrived a few minutes later and were able to extinguish the fire. Campus Safety officers assisted emergency responders and were able to evacuate people and divert traffic, preventing anyone from getting close to the area.”
By 8:50 p.m., groups of students were seen exiting the parking garage. At 8:48 p.m., a water truck pulled out of the area, followed closely by a fire engine. Several students reported a strong smell of fumes lingering near the garage, with some saying they could smell smoke as far as the Technology Building.
“It was weird,” said Sofia McGinnis, a student in the Ferman Building. “Around 8:10 p.m., I noticed the fire alarms going off on the fourth floor. I’m not sure if it was connected to the garage fire, but it definitely got people talking.”
A tow truck arrived at the scene at 9:08 p.m., and the damaged vehicle was removed. Police cleared the area around 9:30 p.m.
Debris was left behind on the second floor, but no structural damage was reported.
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Thumbnail Image courtesy of Sofia McGinnis.