A freak fire set off the sprinkler system at the TradeWinds Resort on Friday night, drenching hotel rooms in the Jacaranda Building, fire officials said. The fire was inside a microwave. A guest put a towel in the microwave to warm it up and instead it caught fire, emitting smoke that set off the fire alarm and activated the sprinkler system. No one was injured.

Blog Note – Only the substantial heat from a significant, advancing fire will activate a sprinkler system (not smoke)

The sprinkler system flooded rooms from the first to fifth floor, forcing those guests to evacuate. A private cleaning crew was being brought in to soak up the water to make the building habitable once again. The hotel was in the process of arranging accommodations at other hotels for the displaced guests.

Fire companies from St. Pete Beach, Treasure Island, South Pasadena and St. Petersburg responded to the alarm.