GAINESVILLE, Fla. – There are no injuries after an early morning apartment fire in Gainesville, but the fire sparked an important reminder: Be careful with candles!
Interim Deputy Fire Chief Joseph Hillhouse said crews were called to the Piccadilly Apartments at 2:30 a.m. Wednesday and discovered a fire burning on the roof of the two-story apartment building.
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All residents were able to safely evacuate before firefighters arrived, but the flames had nearly engulfed the building. In all, 30 firefighters worked together to extinguish the fire.
Investigators said the cause of the fire appears to be electrical, but are continuing to investigate. They also learned at least one resident was burning a candle, prompting this PSA from the fire department,
“GFR would like to remind our neighbors that candles may be pretty to look at but they are a leading cause of home fires — and home fire deaths! Extinguish all candles when you leave the room or go to bed. Avoid the use of candles in the bedroom and other areas where people may fall asleep. Keep candles at least 1 foot away from anything that can burn.”
The department says paying attention to these kind of safety reminders can save lives and property.
