JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Two people are dead and several others injured in four fires over just the past 48 hours across Duval County.
“This has become something we’re talking about all too often right now,” Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan said Monday afternoon. “We’ve had a number of these events over the past several days, and it’s just that time of year.”
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On Monday morning, Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan and the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department teamed up to hand out smoke detectors to neighbors in the Normandy community after a recent string of fires.
Action News Jax told you Sunday about one house fire in Northwest Jacksonville, with another one in Normandy, where two firefighters and two people living in the home were all sent to the hospital.
READ: JFRD: 5 people injured in Sunday fires across Jacksonville
Then, another fire happened Monday morning at a mobile home community in Jacksonville’s southside.
According to fire officials, one of those fires was caused by a portable space heater, while the cause of the others is under investigation.
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Chief Keith Powers with JFRD said the home that burned in Normandy, had no working smoke detector at the time of the blaze.
“Make sure you have a working smoke detector, make sure you don’t leave space heaters within three feet of combustible materials, don’t go to sleep with Christmas lights on,” Chief Powers urged.
If you’re in need of a working smoke detector, you may be eligible to receive one and have one installed for free by calling the number 904-630-CITY.
City leaders also recommend making sure your artificial Christmas tree and Christmas lights say on the box they are UL-certified, meaning they’ve undergone safety testing.
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