JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It has been more than a month since a devastating fire in the hourly parking garage at Jacksonville International Airport.
Now, two big questions remain: How much will it cost to fix the garage, and how long will that take?
Answering those questions will be part of the focus Wednesday morning at the Jacksonville Aviation Authority’s 8:30 a.m. meeting, which is happening as work continues to move all of the cars out of the garage.
At last check early Wednesday morning, a JAA official said there are only three cars left on the third floor of the parking garage that still have to be moved out.
MORE: Full coverage of JAX garage fire and aftermath
It is a significant improvement because that number was 15 on Monday.
The northern portion of the garage has reopened for drivers to use, but the southern portion, which was damaged along with nearly 50 vehicles on May 16, remains closed.
The garage partially collapsed, and the airport was temporarily closed on the day of the fire.
Officials say the third and fourth floors of the garage were the ones impacted the most.
Tracey Casteel’s SUV was parked on the fourth floor. She lost it in that fire and saw it for the first time in person last weekend.
Since the fire, Casteel has been driving a rental car that she has had to pay for on her own.
“It is an expense, even if they reimburse me,” Casteel said. “It is already $1,700 for the first 20 days of a rental car that is on my credit card right now, while I am trying to buy a house. It is just a lot of things.“
As the JAA meets Wednesday morning, the cause and origin of the fire are still a part of an ongoing federal investigation.
About 1,200 cars were parked in the garage at the time the fire started.
Hundreds of them had to be left there initially until drivers were contacted and told they could safely retrieve their vehicles.
JAA leaders also need to clarify what needs to be repaired, since a portion of the garage is likely going to have to be demolished after the collapse.
