St. Pete residents displaced by fire

ST. PETERSBURG -- A fire started by a man smoking in bed this morning caused damage to the Lakeview Residence Inn at 465 Seventh Ave. N, displacing 24 residents who were relocated with the help of the Red Cross. No injuries were reported.

St. Petersburg Fire Rescue officials said the smoking resident on the building's third floor dropped a lit cigarette, which set his mattress afire. A sprinkler in his apartment went off.

Water damaged 25 rooms in the building, fire officials said. The blaze is under investigation.

Times staff writer