Woman dies after house fire on Jacksonville's Westside

A woman has died after a fire Sunday morning on the West Side.

JFRD was called out to the scene just after 1 a.m. for a fire that started at a home at 6450 N Diamond Court.

Dr. Charles Franson, a neighbor, says he heard pops and explosions.

When he walked outside he noticed his neighbor’s house was on fire so he called 911 and tried to put out the flames with some water.

“It was so intense, the heat was just very intense, I tried to go to the front door, as soon as I saw the fire  'cause I knew there were people there, but the fire just pushed you back,” said Fanson.

When JFRD arrived at the home they found a woman inside and took her to a local hospital where they say she later died.

She was the only person inside the home at the time of the fire.

Investigators with JSO’s crime scene and homicide unit were also on scene.

The Fire Marshall's office focused its investigation on the side of the home where the electric meter was just outside the kitchen -- where the house took on the bulk of the damage.

Franson tells us the woman lived with her husband and daughter and he tells us the fire department went back inside the home for the woman’s pet, a small gray rabbit.

“They had it sitting out here on the street and then there was nobody really to take care of it,” he said.

Franson stood outside and watched the rabbit until the victim’s family was able to arrive at the home.

He tells us his neighbors were great people and it’s a tragedy what happened Sunday morning.

“Just my condolences and my prayers are with them,” said Franson.

The Florida State Fire Marshal tells us the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Friends of the family have set up a GoFundMe for costs of the victim's death.

Cox Media Group