JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Red Cross is helping five people who lost their house to an early morning fire Saturday on Jacksonville’s Westside.
Firefighters faced several challenges to put the fire out, and the home was a total loss. All of the windows were blown out, the front door was gone and a big hole was left in the front of the house, which was a mess of charred remains and debris.
Video from the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department showed very little is left after the early morning fire that drew a large first responder presence to Rodby Drive in the Sweetwater neighborhood.
JFRD spokesperson Eric Prosswimmer said no one was injured, but firefighters ran into some challenges.
“The house is full of a lot of stuff, so it hampers progress trying to get in to put the fire out,” Prosswimmer said.
When 35 to 45 firefighters arrived to put out the fire a little after 7 a.m. Saturday, there was no electricity in the house. Prosswimmer said they managed to do a quick search to make sure no one was inside.
Because of the flames and the already visible damage, those in command at the scene made a decision.
“Command at that time made the decision that we are not going to put our guys at any more danger. He pulled everybody out of the structure to fight it from the outside,” Prosswimmer said. “There is nothing to gain, and it is not worth risking one of our firefighters lives or injury, as a result of saving nothing.”
The Bureau of Fire, Arson, and Explosives Investigations is determining what caused the fire.