>> well, first thing i thought is there's elderly people in this building. now at 6:00, a deadly fire at a building filled with elderly and disabled people. the extra challenges firefighters faced and a tragic discovery. good evening, and thank you so much for joining us, everyone. i'm sarina fazan. >> i'm john sabol. one person is dead and three other in the hospital after an early morning fire at an independent living facility in lakeland. >> firefighters received a call about the fire at bella vista manors around 4:30 this morning. we have team coverage of the deadly fire and what is next for residentses there. we begin with reporter jake

spoke to a neighbor who made the 911 call. >> reporter: yeah, i sure did. the neighbor heard a popping noise around 4:30 this morning, looked across the street to the complex and saw flames coming from the fourth floor. >> i grabbed the phone and called 911. the first thing i thought is there's elderly people and the building. >> reporter: carol and leigh couldn't believe the sight before their eyes. >> it's not something you expect at 4:00 in the morning. this is always such a quiet neighborhood. >> from the fourth floor, there was visible fire showing. >> reporter: one of the biggest challenges was evacuating more than 40 elderly and disabled people. >> some could walk. some could not. that was the best big test here. >> reporter: extra first responders helped guide them down the stairs. when all was said and done, everybody, except for one, was accounted for. that person died in their

williams said the fire was challenging to contain because of the building's age. >> this building is built, from what with i understand, in the early `70 and predates the mandates of the sprinklers so this is an unsprinkled building, a worst-case scenario for firefighters. >> reporter: which is why gloria lawson was concerned when she heard the news. her disabled son lives here. >> that's where my mind went. is everybody out safely? >> reporter: he's a bit shaken up but safe. >> it's a nightmare. he's glad he's safe and i'm glad he got out. >> reporteter: three people were treated for smoke inhalation at a polk county hospital. back here live, firefighters telling us that basically this is still under investigation. they are saying this is not under suspicion. they plan to release the name of the victim tomorrow. my colleague has been out here all day as well, and i understand you spoke to someone

>> reporter: yeah, really good to hear her story is of survival, certainly, and all these residents are being taken care of. this apartment complex is one of several plots, a management company that operates bella vista. what's convenient is bella vista is down the street next door to the building that burned down and have been able to relocate several residents affect into the unit and several other properties they own after the building caught fire and they started their evacuations. they moved everyone to the dining hall just at the end of the corridor here. that's where they kind of sheltered for several hours today until everything could be sorted out. we did talk with one resident who lived here more than a decade. she said certainly she is thankful to be alive and got a chance to actually hear that fire alarm on a system that the company has installed on the resident's cell phone so she woke up, heard the alarm and got out safely. they let some residents into the unit in the burned building

with an escort, get a couple of items, two or three days of medications and clothing to make it by. now, the resident has nothing but praise for management on site and those firefighters for the quick actions they took. >> i always thank god every day that i'm alive, yes. and i'm in a good, safe environment. i have been here at least 12 years and they take good care of us, and -- so i don't worry. i know that no matter what happens, making sure we're all right, we're safe, and secure. >> reporter: a crew is on site, cleaning affected unit. most folks can go back in two or three days and could be longer on the fourth floor units. abc action news. >> thank you. we have new developments we are getting our first look deadly shooting.

breaking news last night. deputies releasing these surveillance photos from the grabley on 5th street east. killed in the parking lot after suspects. deputies believe the suspects drove off in a red suv with chrome trim along the bottom. anyone with any information is urged to call crime stoppers. >> announcer: now, the most accurate weather team in florida, abc action weather. hey, good evening, everybody, and happy sunday -- bright sunny sunday to you as we cleared out all the clouds and rain from yesterday morning. we have had just a beautiful day today, nothing around over the state of florida, except a little bit of a chill and we'll check out those temperatures right now showing that most everyone is still right around 50 degrees. 50 in tampa and largo, cooler in palm harbor, 49. brooksville has 46.

warmer, 54 bartow and wakulla, looks like 55 in plant city. tomorrow will be chilly, a low of 38 tampa and brandon, maybe mid-30s for inverness, but we will warm up tomorrow and we will warm up even more into tuesday, reaching the 70s by later on tuesday. we'll look at the seven day forecast with a gasparilla preview in less than 15 minutes. >> bill, we'll check back with you then. the massive dig-out underway after the historic blizzard crippling parts of the east coast. >> things are getting back to normal in some of the hardest- hit cities. check out this live look from new york city, its second- biggest snowfall in history. governor cuomo lifted a travel ban and public transit is starting again, but outdoor subway routes still closed as crews try to clear snow from the tracks. people have also been out in

trying to clear sidewalks. there have been three deaths in new york city linked to shoveling after the storm. d.c. was buried by the 36-hour snowstorm. public schools there are now closed for tomorrow, and u.s. representatives are also taking the day off. cleanup on smaller road across the affected area could take a couple of days. that winter storm is still putting a snag in air travel, including right here in tampa, for the third day in a row. but flights starting to get back to normal. we found some red still on the arrival and departure boards at t.i.a. with 28 flights canceled today and a dozen delayed. that's a fraction of more than 3800 flights that were cancelled across the entire nation throughout the day. we talked to some local fliers who were concerned if their rights were coming from the eye monitoring those flights online. >> oh, my concern was with the incoming flight, where it was coming from. i had other flights where it was fine in boston but newark

overnight in boston one time. but this flight originated here and it's good to go. they have a nice website. >> we'll make it easy for you to track your flights. we have posted sites like this one on our free free abc action news app. the majority are still canceled in new york. air travel to d.c. still at a standstill. covering pinellas county tonight, a wrong-way driver crash ends up in a bizarre twist. the woman end up arrested. deputies arrested her last night for driving along tampa road and oldsmar when for car was hit by damon mcbride's truck. he was driving in the wrong direction and tried to run away from the scene. sichterman's passenger was

she was arrested and released from jail. mcbride was hospitalized for minor injury and has charges pending. dangers of dating apps. the warning tonight after a string of crimes linked to online dating and the steps to stay safe. plus a florida police officer made famous for shooting some hoops with some kids gets some star power. the moment he surprised those boys with a bigger player,

tonight, a crime alert out of bar to that all single ladies using dating websites should pay close attention to. police said in just the past four weeks, four women have been robbed, some carjacked, and threatened with a gun or another type of weapon.

the men on dating apps online. ladies, we looked into it. there are three things you can do immediately to protect yourself when meeting someone time. where there are plenty of people and near a busy street. tell a trusted friend or family member who you are meeting and where. number with them. a twist to a story that went viral online last week. you may remember the gainesville police officer known as basketball cop. he went to check in on kids playing hoops after a noise complaint. the officer played basketball with the kids instead of punishing them and promising to bring back a backup for a bigger game. guess what? he did just that. take a look. >> told you i was going to bring some backup backup, right? >> yeah. >> you guys ready? i brought some other backup for you. >> [ bleep ] [ laughter ]

star is shaquille o'neal. he surprised the officer and the kids yesterday. you can see the boys all freaked out when they saw shaq. the group played basketball, shot free throws and at the end of the video, shaq is seen giving advice, saying he grew up in a similar neighborhood and encouraging them to stay out of trouble. great story there. still ahead, the new cutting staff is ready to go. see who is the new offensive

covering sarasota county,, the seafood and music festival just wrapped up about an hour ago. the sarasota downtown merchants association held a two-day event at selby point park with some of the best chefs around the county to prepare a tasty menu of jumbalaya, crab cakes, sushi, and more. there were live demonstrations and some of the most popular band in the area. the event was free to attend. participants said it will

>> announcer: now, the most accurate weather team in florida, abc action weather. >> yum, jumbalaya. >> great seinfeld episode. perfect weather for it. >> chili would be in order, and it's going to get warmer, so get those cooler-weather recipes in right now. oh, my good opinion, look at this, gorgeous sunset from circles in apollo beach. great place to sit outside and enjoy a nice day -- a little on the chilly side -- but i'm sure folks are visiting near our camera location enjoying that fine food and festivity. hey, look, everybody, we're here along the world's longest sidewalk, bayshore boulevard, and we're getting ready for pirate fest. look, somebody left their solo cup down there. we're going to be looking for a good week ahead, a clear, cool sunday after the children's par ray.

and, at this point, look good for gasparilla. we're talking about the coldest weather since last week. tampa international, 37 for the low. we got up to 56, cooler than our normal this time of year. we're 50 in tampa, 48 in st. petersburg and clearwater. winds are coming down and moderating temperature. 54 tallahassee, 47 jacksonville, about the same reading they're got in st. louis and more moderate air comes across the southeast but look at this. 57 in shreveport, houston with 65, warmer air bubbling up there. it's going to be ahead of a front that swings this way but for the next couple of days, high pressure will be in control to give us the cool weather to help shift our winds around by monday into tuesday, coming in out of the east and then southeast, which will give us a little bit more humidity for tomorrow, though, we start

at 8:00, we'll be about 38- degree after we watch those temperatures work their way down and, finally, the boating weather is getting better. 55-degree your gulf water temperature right now off clearwater beach. watch those wind shifting from the east to southeast, pretty good day for boating tomorrow. 10 knots, seas 2 to 3 feet, light chop on the bay and inland water. high tide at 1:43 a.m., high tide just after account 9:00 a.m. tomorrow, and sun will be up at 7:21. here's florida's most accurate seven-day forecast, and i want to spell this out all the way through the work week. as you see, the warmth setting in, 72 degrees by tuesday. the front comes through on thursday. then we get breezy, cooling off weekend, for gasparilla things partly cloudy skies, invasion ready as the wind die down, so the boating should be good and continue with the warmth into

that is florida's most accurate don't forget, check it out any time as we update it on the abc action news app. the more you watch the lightning-panthers game, the more you realize the florida panthers squad is the real deal. they may have had the puck luck last night in the 5-2 win over the bolts, snapping lightning seven game win streak, but keep in mind this is not the old team. this team she quipped with young talent and veteran and when you have a system that clicks you win games it resembles the teams of the last two years. it's not all ben bishop's fault. puck luck. it was not the way you wanted to end against your in-state rival, who happens to be in first place.

where we have given up a bunch of goals like that in one period, let alone four in a game. they've got kind of that mix of that veterans and young guys and really come into their own. i thought it would be a really strong game tonight. they got big, strong defense and a goaltender back there that can keep them in every single game. but they're big, strong skate and, uh, i think he did a hell of a job coaching those guys. they play hard. breaking buccaneers news on this sunday afternoon. the team has hired southern miss head coach todd monkin as offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach. the 49-year-old spent the last three years at southern miss, turning the 08-12 program in 2012 to a 9-5 record this past season. his team rank in the top 10, scoring nearly 40 points a game. dirk koetter said he will still call the plays on offense and will have to wait to see how

the bucs will introduce him later this week. championship sunday in the national football league -- afc and nfc title games this afternoon. the afc championship featured a matchup we have seen now 17 times before. today the 17th time, actually, brady versus manning. right now late in the fourth quarter, broncos leading the patriots 20-12. patriots missed a fourth and 6 conversion on the denver 16 with 2:18 left. new england has two time-out and just got the ball back on the 50. should be an exciting finish here. we'll recap this tonight at 11:00. we'll talk about this game at 11:00 -- nfc championship game will kick off in 15 minutes, a 1 versus 2 matchup just like the afc. pant version not lost at home yet this season. and women's hoops, fernandez' ladies playing without jenkins, out two weeks with an ankle injury. guess what? the bulls didn't need her against rivals ucf.

the jumper is good, 2 of 20 points. keep your eye on ferrera, dialing up from long diance.

if it affects your weather, it's on abc action news right now. we're going to get chilly tomorrow, starting at 38 degrees, up to 60 by noon, looking for a high tomorrow of 67, even warmer tuesday, and as mentioned, looking good for gasparilla weekend as well so -- aarrgh! >> thank you, bill and thank