JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A fire ripped through an Arlington apartment building Tuesday night, leaving a dozen people without homes, according to Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department Captain Eric Prosswimmer.
Prosswimmer says two people were taken to a local hospital after making their escape from the fire and that one of the people escaped by jumping out of a second-story window. Both people are expected to be alright.
The apartments are Patriot Plaza Apartments on University Club Boulevard, which is off Fort Caroline Road in Arlington. Prosswimmer says firefighters got the call about the fire just after 11:30 p.m. Tuesday and when they arrived, two apartment units were engulfed in flames and the fire was spreading rapidly.
75 firefighters were on scene, Prosswimmer says, and 10 apartment units are destroyed. Firefighters had to act fast. The buildings are connected by a breezeway and the roof and the fire was heading to a second building, according to Prosswimmer. Firefighters had to run up and get between the buildings to stop the fire.
"Our crews got up there, got between it and actually made a great stop," Prosswimmer said. "This fire could have easily effected another eight apartments."
JFRD says they're waiting on the Bureau of Fire, Arson and Explosives to investigate the incident.
Tuesday afternoon, people were seen rummaging through damaged apartments and packing cars with what they could salvage. The American Red Cross is providing financial and medical assistance to 17 people who were living in damaged units.