JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A family of three has nowhere to live after a Sunday morning house fire in Durkeeville.
Stephanie Neloms tells Action News Jax her friends Ruby and Mark have lived inside their house with their son on Mt. Herman Street for years.
When Neloms woke up this morning, she found out they’d lost everything in an early morning fire.
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“It’s just very very heartbreaking,” Neloms said.
Action News Jax spoke with family off camera and they tell us the three narrowly escaped the flames with their lives.
We’re told Mark was airlifted to UF Health in Gainesville after he was badly burned.
Friends tell us they’re praying for the family and for this local father to recover.
“Wonderful guy, family man, loves his wife, son. You know been in the neighborhood for a long long time,” said Roderick Dorsey, a friend of the family.
The fire chief says when his crews first got there they saw flames shooting out of the windows.
The damage is so bad that JFRD says the home is a total loss.
JFRD tells us grease left on a hot stove in the kitchen likely started this fire.
David Hammock, a neighbor across the street, was out walking his dog when he spotted the fire.
He shared a video with us that show just how massive those flames were.
It took nearly 40 firefighters to put out the blaze as fire engines flooded the streets of the neighborhood.
The Red Cross just got here. They are talking to family right now again JFRD says the family of 3 have lost nearly all of their belongings in this early morning fire on Mt Herman St. @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews pic.twitter.com/U6MLOf8HiU
— Alicia Tarancon (@AliciaANJax) June 23, 2019
Now, friends and neighbors say after seeing what’s left over, they’re going to do what they can to help.
“The community (is) going to rally, the community is going to get together and we’re going to see what’s going on and we’ll take it from there,” Dorsey said.
This is what’s left of the back of the house. There is nothing but charred remains after the fire burned through the home in Durkeeville. JFRD says the home is a total loss @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews pic.twitter.com/rF6JHWHpbB
— Alicia Tarancon (@AliciaANJax) June 23, 2019
“This is what we’re here for to help each other,” Neloms said.
The Red Cross was called out to assist the family.
Cox Media Group
