JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A vacant commercial building in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Jacksonville went up in flames Tuesday morning, and it took about 35 firefighters an hour to get the fire under control.
The fire near Edison Avenue and Oak Street was reported about 5:30 a.m. It's a block west of the Florida Blue building.
News4Jax learned the structure was built in 1906 and has housed many businesses over the years.
Rollin Frey, who works nearby, said despite being condemned and closed up, the building had people in and out of it.
"They throw trash over here on our property, so it's been a mess," Frey said. "It's been a headache to us."
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but it appears to have started on the second floor.
At least two ladder trucks were called to the scene. Nobody was in the building at the time of the fire, according to firefighters.
The building's roof is completely burned out and the building is considered a total loss.
The fire chief at the scene told News4Jax that firefighters have been watching the building for some time because of its condition.
The building is in an area that the city is working to redevelop near Riverside, and many of the older homes and buildings like it have already been torn down. Our crew counted 22 vacant businesses and houses within blocks of Monday's fire.
"They have torn so many buildings down around here that this place is a lot better than it used to be," Frey said.