JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A man was found dead after a fire broke out Tuesday morning at a mobile home in Jacksonville, authorities said.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said it responded about 7:15 a.m. to help the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department with the mobile home fire on North Main Street, just south of the Trout River, that was reported by a 911 caller.
Police said JFRD found a man, who was described as being in his 60s to 70s, in the back part of the trailer in the area of a bedroom. Police said that the man lived at the home and that he was the only person there at the time.
The Sheriff’s Office said there was a space heater in the room, but it was not immediately known whether that caused the fire. The Florida Bureau of Fire, Arson and Explosives responded to the scene to investigate the cause.
Crews are responding to a mobile home structure fire in the 7000 block of main st…E9 is on scene advising this is a working fire.
— THEJFRD (@THEJFRD) February 8, 2022
The Sheriff’s Office said it did not immediately see any signs of foul play. Police and the medical examiner are investigating the death.
“We treat every investigation until we can determine what the cause was and what happened through autopsy and medical examination. We treat every case like that until we can provide a full investigation on those,” said Sgt. Mark Russell, with the JSO Homicide Unit.
Neighbors at the small mobile home park told News4JAX that they woke up to crews surrounding the trailer that caught fire. The structure sits in a far corner of the park away from the other trailers.
“Unusual ... because it’s just a quiet park, no trouble out here,” said neighbor Ramona Sparks.
Sparks just moved in and said seeing mobile home fires like Tuesday’s are disturbing.
“Especially when you live in one,” Sparks said. “They’re like a matchbox ... because they can go up real quick.”
According to News4JAX records, house fires in Jacksonville have resulted in five deaths so far this year:
- Jan. 1: A woman died in a house fire on West Virginia Avenue.
- Jan. 6: A man and a woman died in a house fire on McCargo Street.
- Jan. 11: Geneva Campbell, 78, died in a house fire on West 21st Street, and two children suffered smoke inhalation.
- Feb. 8: A man died in a mobile home fire on North Main Street.
Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry has announced a new position with JFRD dedicated to addressing fire safety and prevention. Curry and JFRD have also started an initiative to remind people about heating hazards when it’s cold outside and to make sure people have working smoke alarms. Any Jacksonville resident who needs a smoke detector in their home can call 904-630-CITY (2489) and JFRD will install one.