JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Investigators are working to determine the cause of a fire Wednesday afternoon in Jacksonville’s Whitehouse neighborhood that, according to the Jacksonville Fire and Recue Department, resulted in the death of one person.
A second person, JFRD said, was seriously injured in the fire at a home on West Beaver Street. Firefighters got to the home around 2 p.m. and were able to contain the fire.
Capt. Eric Prosswimmer, with JFRD, said responding units only noticed smoke on arrival.
“As they approached the home they did notice they could see somebody inside. They attempted to make a rescue. That’s where they encountered the fire by where the person was,” Prosswimmer said. “Unfortunately, that person didn’t make it. Our heart goes out to the family.”
Another person was found on a porch. They were hospitalized for treatment of serious injuries.
According to the incident report from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the person who died was a woman. It revealed a neighbor told police the woman who died was a smoker and that she’d fallen asleep in a recliner previously while smoking.
The state fire marshal was called to investigate.