JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A drone mishap is credited with sparking a house fire Wednesday morning in Jacksonville’s San Jose neighborhood that sent one person to the hospital.
What began with a medical call to a home on Salamanca Avenue, off San Jose Boulevard, shortly before 10 a.m. escalated when an explosion occurred, according to the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department.
An 81-year-old woman who was in the house when the fire broke out told News4Jax that her 16-year-old grandson had plugged in his drone to charge inside the garage when the charger ignited. The resulting fire sent flames and smoke streaming from the home.
.@JFRDJAX on scene of house fire on Salamanca Ave. JFRD says 81 y/o & 16 y/o at home when fire started. Teen taken to hospital for smoke inhalation. Says there was some type of Explosion. Crews investigating where fire started. A dog also made it out @wjxt4 pic.twitter.com/SeBEu4S4HN
— Brittany Muller (@WJXTBrittanyM) November 27, 2019
“I stepped foot in the house and couldn’t breathe at all and screamed,” neighbor Joe Skrzydlewski said. "She was right there a couple of feet away and she came back outside the house. The fireman brought the dog out the dog had its tongue out and it was twitching and one of the firemen brought over oxygen and I really think revived the dog.”
The teen was taken to an area hospital to get treatment for smoke inhalation but was expected to be OK.
This dog was rescued from the burning home. It was being treated for smoke inhalation with oxygen on scene. The pup is now doing ok! @wjxt4 pic.twitter.com/esdxjRMlkt
— Brittany Muller (@WJXTBrittanyM) November 27, 2019