JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Demolition began Friday on the RISE Doro apartments in downtown Jacksonville. A fire sparked at the complex on Sunday and the building was subsequently deemed unsafe.
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It was set to have residents move in as early as this weekend, but the structure has now been condemned.
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That’s why the City of Jacksonville said the seven-story building is coming down, because of the danger it poses to public safety. They say it’s possible for the building to collapse at any moment.
Officials believe the fire started on the sixth floor and spread throughout the rest of the building. The City said several agencies will be looking at how the fire started while the demolition process is going on.
Related Story: Community weighs in on what they want to see after RISE Doro is demolished
Demolition crews began taking apart the building at the top right corner, using a excavator.
A demolition expert says since it’s so close to neighboring businesses, using a long-reach excavator is the best approach in tearing it down.
Tony Zajni of the North Florida Waste Management and Demolition has been doing this type of work for more than 15 years. He says it’s too risky to use a wrecking ball or explosives because of how close the Doro is to other buildings.
“You can’t use an explosion because all the business they’re so close with each other and so close to this building,” Zajni said. “Plus, you know, this building is made of wood, so it’s impossible.”
Zajni says the best approach is going from top to bottom.
Related Story: Florida Fire Marshal still investigating RISE Doro fire, demolition to begin before end of the week
“The way that building is right now, is you kind of push the walls in towards the middle of the building, instead of pulling them out,” Zajni said. “So that’s the safest way to take this building down.”
Jacksonville resident Craig Morris says it’s devastating to see the demolition process unfold.
“It’s sad to see the whole building go down,” Morris said. “But I’d say bringing it down quick is better than later.”
RISE Doro sent updates earlier this week, saying the estimated timeline for demolition is about eight to 10 weeks.
The City released a list of frequently asked questions about the RISE Doro on Friday, saying crews with Elev8 will proceed to work through the weekend and into next week with daily 10-hour shifts.
Related Story: City spokesperson said fire is under control, but what’s next for the RISE Doro apartments?
This means some road closures at East Adams Street, East Forsyth Street, Lafayette Street, and A. Philip Randolph Street.
The office of Jimmy Patronis, Florida’s State Fire Marshal and Chief Financial Officer, released the following statement about the investigation into the fire:
“This fire investigation remains open and ongoing and no further information is available at this time. The investigation will continue following the emergency demolition of the building to determine the cause of the fire.”
Related Story: RISE Doro: Jacksonville firefighters spray hotspots over a day after massive apartment fire sparked
How the fire started is a question many say they want to know the answer to.
“There’s a lot of questions going on right now, I think on what is going on.”
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“It sounds kind of sketchy to me,” Jacksonville resident Kama Warren said.
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