April Incidents 2017

The spring months here on the "First Coast" are typically devoid of significant rainfall, hence the annual threat of brush fires representing a normal and familiar level of operational readiness for Jacksonville's first responders. Oddly enough, however, when an occasional storm system does manage to pay a visit and bring with it much needed precipitation, the latter is often accompanied by violent and ferocious lightning strikes and, with that, an unfortunate increase in structure fires occurring in the midst of the much needed relief delivered by the corresponding rains. Case in point Thursday morning, the 6th of April just before 5:30 AM, when a Second Alarm assignment wound up fighting an apartment fire in the 5900 block of Fort Caroline Road, more specifically Building 8 at the apartment complex known as 'Caroline Square Apartments.' A mighty storm system had not only drenched the area with nearly two inches of rain throughout the night and into the pre-dawn hours, but also delivered a potent lightning strike at the aforementioned apartments that resulted in flames shooting through the roof of the building within a very short time. Although the firefighters were able to tame the blaze within thirty minutes, the 8 individual apartment units within the building all sustained damage to varying degrees of intensity, leading to 12 adults and 8 pediatrics displaced and in need of Red Cross assistance. The dollar amount for the estimated damages exceeded $250,000.

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