Westside apartment fire leaves dozens displaced, families have to start all over – Action News Jax

JACKSONVILLE, Fla – At least two dozen people are now displaced after an apartment fire Monday afternoon in the Westside.

When the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Service arrived at the Jacksonville Heights complex in the 8000 block of 103rd Street, the fire was going through the roof, Chief Keith Powers said.

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Powers said 40 units and 150 firefighters responded within two minutes and it took 1 hour and 26 minutes to put out the blaze. NAS Jacksonville’s First Coast Navy was also on hand to assist.

There were 12 units in total in the building, and 11 were occupied. Twenty-four adults and nine children have been displaced as a result of the fire.

The American Red Cross is helping 23 of these residents who have been displaced by providing financial assistance for food, clothing, shelter, other essentials and comfort kits with personal hygiene items.

No injuries have been reported from the blaze, and the Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office will investigate the cause of the blaze, Powers said.

The American Red Cross has confirmed that something like this only happens a few times a year in Jacksonville.

The neighbors told Action News Jax’s Kristen Rary that while tragic, they weren’t surprised.

Neighbor Trosyln Flowers said: “Previously here there have been a few electric fires because of the ovens, and a few apartments had caught fire here and everything.”

When asked if JFRD had ever responded to electrical fires in this area, Powers replied, “Not to my knowledge. “

Action News Jax has requested the number of service calls for the apartment complex and is awaiting a response.

Now many families have to start over.

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“When a fire starts, it takes a lot off of you,” said Flowers.

Residents said they just hoped they could come together to help those affected by the devastating blaze.

Meanwhile, Powers said firefighters will be on the scene overnight to monitor hot spots.

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