Apartment Fire, No One Hurt

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- A mother and daughter are fine after a fire at their apartment.

The fire started around 5:30 a.m. Thursday at the Otter Run Apartments on Assisi Lane, that's not far from Mayport Road.

Barbara Fletcher says the smell of smoke woke her up and she saw the fire on her balcony. She woke up her 15-year-old daughter Amiee. They were able to get out of the apartment safely.

Amiee told First Coast News she had to grab some shorts, got her dog and ran out of her home. Her mother told us they have two other dogs. They were able got them out of the home safely too.

Neighbors also saw the flames on the balcony. One man said his son heard something. He went outside and saw the flames shooting into the sky. He ran to the building and banged on doors to get his neighbors' attention.

Another man told us he was going outside for his early morning cigarette when he saw the flames at the building next to his. He ran inside and told his father. He pulled the fire alarm located at his building and then ran to the building on fire. He pulled the fire alarm and started yelling and banging on doors. He said he was a little scared, but was only thinking of the safety of his neighbors at the time.

There are 16 units in the building where the fire started. All the residents were evacuated. Three apartments were effected. The fire destroyed one. One had smoke damage and another had water and smoke damage.

Lt. Mike Peery with the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department said when firefighters arrived on the scene, they saw flames shooting through the roof. He said the apartment's firewall helped them as they put out the fire. They were able to put it out quicker because of that firewall.

Peery said there was a working smoke detector in the home.

He told us the cause of the fire is undetermined. But he said there is an indication there was a smoking material in a plastic bucket on the Fletcher's balcony.

Barbara Fletcher says she and her daughter, Amiee, will stay with her other daughter for a while. Volunteers with the American Red Cross have been called. Despite the damage, the good news is no one was hurt.

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