JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A person was injured Tuesday night when they jumped from a second-story window during a fire at the Patriot Plaza Apartments on University Club Boulevard off Fort Caroline Road, the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department said.
A second person was hurt in the scramble at the scene as the fire left eight units destroyed.
JFRD spokesman Capt. Eric Prosswimmer said both people were taken to a hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
Twelve adults lost their homes and are being helped by the Red Cross after the roof of the apartment building was destroyed.
Jarvis PETTYJOHN, who lost everything in the fire, said he ran to about five different apartments to warn the tenants to get out as soon as possible because he never heard any alarms go off.
“It made a boom sound. And then the flames came out,” PETTYJOHN said. “In less than four minutes, the apartment was done.”
He did all of that while battling a previous leg injury.
“Me trying to run with 17 staples, I busted them open,” he said. “It was just very difficult. I couldn’t breathe because of smoke inhalation. It came so quick.”
JFRD video captured the aftermath.
PETTYJOHN was one of eight apartments to be destroyed.
Despite losing all his home and belongings, Petty’s quick thinking and action helped prevent an already bad situation from becoming way worse.
“I just feel like I was in the right place at the right time,” he said.
PETTYJOHN said he is not sure what he is going to do next, but he is grateful that he, his family and everybody involved in this are okay.
Investigators are working to learn the cause of the fire.