JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating a fire at a Jacksonville business where the owner said a man he tried to help attempted to blow it up.
It happened at the Hale Intermodal Trucking company off Edgewood Drive in the Paxon neighborhood.
What’s left of a skeleton of a tractor-trailer is charred metal, blown out glass and buckled doors.
Neighbors captured images as firefighters worked to put out the flames.
The owner, David Peppers, told us an employee who he fired two years ago spitefully caused the explosion. Peppers said this former, homeless employee wasn’t a reliable worker, but that he allowed him to stay at his house, cooked meals for him and was working to help him fill out his disability paperwork.
Peppers said that this ex-employee took oxygen torches and lit both the trailer and himself on fire. On Monday, Peppers said he received a bizarre phone call from the man saying he was going to light up his business.
He never expected the threat to come to fruition, even when the windshield blew 60 feet in front of the truck.
This man was taken to UF Health with life-threatening injuries. JFRD was called to the scene around 8:30, and in 25 minutes, they were able to put out the fire.
Pepper said he’s shocked to have lost thousands of dollars in uninsured trucks after trying to help a homeless man.
Watch Action News Jax and follow Kaitlyn Chana on Twitter @KaitlynANjax for the latest developments on this story.
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JFRD tells @ActionNewsJax 3 semi tractor-trailers caught on fire on Dahlia Rd.
— Kaitlyn Chana (@KaitlynChana) August 23, 2016
JFRD tells @ActionNewsJax it took 25 minutes to get the fire under control. They say a man was severely burned.
— Kaitlyn Chana (@KaitlynChana) August 23, 2016
I saw two investigators walk to the back of these tractor-trailers in a business yard. @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/jxn2fT9tzM
— Kaitlyn Chana (@KaitlynChana) August 23, 2016
ATF just arrived on scene and they're walking to the back of the property. @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/CgurGowkPQ
— Kaitlyn Chana (@KaitlynChana) August 23, 2016
ATF is investigating a fire at a local business where the owner says a man he tried to help attempted to blow it up. pic.twitter.com/BuCMsBX4vL
— Kaitlyn Chana (@KaitlynChana) August 23, 2016
It happened at the Hale Intermodal Trucking company off Edgewood Drive in the Paxon neighborhood. pic.twitter.com/I6xhF9ehVe
— Kaitlyn Chana (@KaitlynChana) August 23, 2016
What’s left of this skeleton of a tractor-trailer is charred metal, blown out glass and buckled doors. pic.twitter.com/ghKyBBE2Zx
— Kaitlyn Chana (@KaitlynChana) August 23, 2016
Neighbors captured these images as firefighters worked to put out the flames. @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/AuyQRf8Bz4
— Kaitlyn Chana (@KaitlynChana) August 23, 2016
The owner, David Peppers, told us an employee who he fired 2yrs ago spitefully caused the explosion. @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/3NszLWSwrF
— Kaitlyn Chana (@KaitlynChana) August 23, 2016
Peppers tells me this ex-employee wasn’t a reliable worker, but he allowed him to stay at his house & cooked meals for him. @ActionNewsJax
— Kaitlyn Chana (@KaitlynChana) August 23, 2016
Peppers tells me he was working to help this homeless man fill out disability paperwork. @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/NyRnJWXeu2
— Kaitlyn Chana (@KaitlynChana) August 23, 2016
Peppers tells me that this ex-employee took oxygen torches & lit both the trailer & himself on fire. @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/QhJc35AqKp
— Kaitlyn Chana (@KaitlynChana) August 23, 2016
This former employee was taken to UF Health with life-threatening injuries. @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/P2IeJc0xhG
— Kaitlyn Chana (@KaitlynChana) August 23, 2016
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