Local
Jacksonville Apartment Fire Displaces 11 Residents, Destroys 12 Units; Tenant Loses Everything
A fast-moving fire at an apartment complex off Old St. Augustine Road damaged 12 units and displaced 11 residents, with one tenant describing her home as a total loss. The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department brought the blaze under control in about 30 minutes, but not before a propane tank on a balcony ignited and intensified the flames.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. â A fire at an apartment complex off Old St. Augustine Road damaged 12 units and displaced 11 residents, according to the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department. The blaze, which broke out late Saturday, has left at least one tenant facing the loss of nearly everything she owned.
Kelsie Lisner, who moved into her apartment in July, said she was awakened by banging on her door and people shouting that the building was on fire.
"In that moment, that's when banging on my door happened and yelling, 'Get out, there's a fire,'" Lisner said.
She grabbed her dog but was unable to get her cat out before fleeing. Later, she said, she saw smoke coming through her bathroom vent.
When firefighters arrived, they encountered heavy flames spreading across multiple floors, JFRD said. A propane tank on a second-floor balcony ignited, intensifying the fire. Crews called a second alarm and dispatched 35 units, bringing the fire under control in about 30 minutes.
Firefighters rescued multiple pets and returned to affected apartments to retrieve residents' essential medications, according to JFRD. One person was evaluated for smoke inhalation, and a firefighter was transported as a precaution.
Lisner said she was later told her apartment was "sopping wet" and smelled of smoke. She described it as a total loss.
"Once I was told yesterday that it was a total loss, that's when denial was kind of leaving and everything else in the stages of grief followed suit," she said.
Lisner is now staying with her sister while she and her boyfriend figure out what comes next.
JFRD's public post about the fire did not identify a cause. The department has not yet released additional information.
Lisner's coworkers have started a GoFundMe campaign to help replace her belongings. The fundraiser says everything in the apartment was ruined and that donations will help her piece together a lifetime of belongings and memories. As of Saturday, it had raised $1,220 from 16 donations.
"The community has been nothing short of a blessing," Lisner said. She added that if the fundraiser exceeds its goal, she hopes to help other residents affected by the fire.
The fire is a reminder of the vulnerability of renters in a tight housing market, where a single incident can leave families without a home and with few resources to recover. Community members interested in helping can contribute to the verified fundraiser or reach out to local relief organizations assisting displaced residents.