Clearwater Fire & Rescue responded to a fire at Fairwinds Treatment Center at 1569 S. Fort Harrison Ave., shortly after 5 a.m. on Sunday, April 20, 2025. Seventeen residents and five staff members safely evacuated the facility without injury.
More than 20 units from Clearwater and neighboring fire departments, including Dunedin, Safety Harbor, Largo, and Seminole, responded to the three-alarm fire. Sunstar Paramedics and PSTA were also on-scene to assist.
Clearwater fire inspectors were dispatched to the scene to investigate the cause. The Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office was also involved due to the extent of structural damage.
South Fort Harrison Avenue was closed between Belleair Road and Woodlawn Avenue as the investigation continued. As of 12:45 p.m., it had reopened to traffic.
In an update provided by the City of Clearwater, investigators from Clearwater Fire & Rescue, the State Fire Marshal’s Office, and the Clearwater Police Department have completed their initial investigation into this morning’s fire.
The preliminary cause has been ruled accidental. The likely culprit is an electrical issue with an industrial freezer. Damages to the building are estimated at more than $1 million.
