JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – At least thirty people are without a home after Jacksonville fire crews extinguished flames that broke out at a Westside apartment complex.
The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department said Friday afternoon that it responded to a fire at the Madelyn Oaks Apartments on Lenox Avenue.
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News4JAX spoke with a few residents who had to evacuate the unit after the fire alarm went off.
The fire broke out on the third floor and impacted 16 units.
“I came out of the house, and I saw the roof was on fire,” Deonte Scott said. “I was shocked.”
Laverne Hawkins has lived at the complex since 2006 and stays on the second floor. She said this was the first fire she experienced in her 18 years of calling Madelyn Oaks home.
“Coming out of my apartment, I saw a lot of smoke. It was so white and black. You could hardly see in front of you,” Hawkins said. “It was more than scary. It made me very nervous.”
It’s unclear how the fire started, but no injuries were reported.
Crews extinguished the fire, but extensive damage is expected.
The Red Cross is helping the residents who were displaced.