JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A man was hospitalized with serious injuries after a house fire Sunday afternoon in Northwest Jacksonville, according to the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department.
Crews responded about 1:15 p.m. to the fire on 7th Street West near Grunthal Street.
Chief Robin Gainey, with JFRD, said firefighters pulled a man from the house. Gainey said the man was initially taken to UF Health in Jacksonville with serious injuries before he was moved to UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville due to his burns.
Michael Powell, who identified himself as the man’s roommate, said his roommate was trapped inside the bathroom at the time of the fire. Powell said he tried to help his roommate, but the conditions insides were so bad that his roommate had to be rescued by firefighters.
“I said, ‘He’s in the bathroom.’ They finally went in there,” Powell recalled. “I’m waiting 20 minutes wondering where he’s at and they can’t find nobody. That was scary.”
Powell said he thinks the fire started in his room.
“It started in the corner of my room right by my bed. I think it was the electric tray to plug everything into,” he said. “I heard a loud pop sound and I run back to my room, and flames hit me in the face.”
Gainey said the interior of the house was badly damaged. He said the heat conditions were extreme from the fire and the windy conditions made the flames spread throughout the house.
By 1:30 p.m., the fire was under control, JFRD said. No firefighters were injured.
The state fire marshal is investigating.