Woman, dogs die in Northside mobile home

Fire marshal says home had no smoke detectors

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – An accidental kitchen fire took the life of a mother of three and her four dogs Friday morning on Myrtis Road off Lem Turner Road on the Northside.

The state fire marshal’s office is still investigating the fire but says foul play has been ruled out. 

The Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department said it received calls about the fire at 2:42 Friday morning. Police said after firefighters extinguished the fire, officers found the woman, later identified as 40-year-old Cherese Briggs, dead inside the building.

Four dogs, two puppies and two adults, were also found dead inside the building. A third puppy from the litter, 2-month-old Thor, had been given to a neighbor.

"I've had this puppy from Day 1," Celia Serobridge said. "She had two puppies, plus the parents. She's had the parents from the get go. She got rid of three of (the puppies) so she could do Uber."

Serobridge said Briggs bought a new car on Thursday to be a driver for the ride-share service.

"She has been my neighbor for the past eight years. She's a strong independent woman with beautiful kids. She's been nothing but like a second mother to me," Serobridge said. "We were at the DMV for the last three or four days so she can drive for Uber. She's been succeeding so much. She helps me; I helped her."

The fire marshal said the home had no smoke detectors.