Fernandina Beach Fire Department
Ty Silcox, Fire Chief
www.fbfl.us
December 25, 2018 12:33 p.m.
At approximately 1:37am on December 25, 2018, the Fernandina Beach Fire Department was dispatched to a reported explosion and smoke coming from the roof of a residential structure at 1315 South Fletcher Avenue. When firefighters arrived on scene, they observed heavy fire conditions coming from the garage area with smoke visible from the rear of the two-story single-family dwelling.
The fire rapidly spread from the room of origin, to the second floor and into a complex attic space. Fire spread through what appeared to be a false ceiling that was a part of the original roof system of the house. The fire consumed the entire attic space between the multiple roof systems. These void spaces presented firefighters with a very complex obstacle to overcome in order to fully extinguish the flames. The fire was finally brought under control when firefighters were able to gain access to the hidden voids.
Fire damage to the dwelling was heavy and estimated to be a total loss. Due to the intensity of the fire and the difficulty reaching the flames, it took approximately 25 firefighters, from Fernandina Beach Fire Department and Nassau County Fire Rescue, along with the assistance of the Fernandina Beach Police Department, nearly six hours to completely extinguish the fire and overhaul all hot spots, rendering the scene safe. No civilian or firefighter injuries were reported as a result of this incident.
The occupants were not home at the time of the fire but have all been accounted for. The origin and cause of the fire is unknown and currently under investigation by the State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Fernandina Fire Department Fire Marshal. The fire does not appear to be suspicious in nature.
Interesting.