JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A man was arrested in connection with a house fire in Brooklyn early Sunday morning that left a dog burned, according to the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department.
Fire crews responded to the home along Magnolia Street after a call around 3 a.m.
A JFRD spokesperson said no one lived in the home. No one was hospitalized.
“Seen all the police out here," said Maris Johnson, who lives at the apartments across the street from the home. "Was trying to figure out what was going on, then I came out to walk the dog, and I see that house on fire.”
Johnson said there were so many firetrucks and police cars on the street responding to the house fire.
“You actually couldn’t get in the apartments," said Johnson. "You had to park in the front last night because you couldn’t get back here.”
A JFRD spokesperson said the department doesn’t believe anyone was living at the home when it went up in flames.
William Baker, 47, is facing an arson charge, according to his arrest report. He's accused of causing $74,886 in property damage.
JFRD pulled a dog from the blaze and was able to revive it.
The spokesperson says they believe the dog belonged to the suspect, so he could be facing animal cruelty charges as well.
“As a pet owner, dogs can’t fend for themselves, so it’s like, ‘Dang, did you really leave a dog there next to a fire?’ So, it’s definitely good someone found the dog," said Johnson.
After seeing the plume of smoke while she was walking her dog, Johnson is relieved it doesn’t seem to have impacted any of the units at her apartment complex.
“This morning when you came through, all you see is smoke all throughout the area," said Johnson.
While a First Coast News crew was at the scene, a man stopped by who said he maintains the property for the owner.
He said the homeowner hasn’t lived there in a few years, and now will have to decide if the best path forward is simply leveling it.
