A massive fire erupted Friday in the hourly parking garage at Jacksonville International Airport, destroying dozens of vehicles and leaving many travelers uncertain about the fate of their cars.
Black smoke from the fire could be seen for miles, drawing immediate concern from those flying into the airport and those with vehicles parked there.
“We saw a big fire in the distance and we said, that’s probably not good,” said traveler David Chandler.
According to Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan, the fire is believed to have started with one vehicle and quickly spread to others. “About 50 cars were impacted by the fire,” she said.
The scene left behind was one of significant destruction. The roof of the garage partially collapsed, with several burned-out vehicles still visible. In the wreckage, one vehicle’s emergency lights continued to flash, a reminder of the chaos earlier in the day.
Zach Willis, a traveler returning from Atlanta, had parked his truck on the third level of the garage earlier in the week. He found out about the fire while still out of town.
“It’s just the fact that my truck was only two years from being paid off,” Willis said. “Even with insurance, it’s still not gonna cover everything. It will probably pay it off, but at the same time, I have to buy another vehicle.”
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He also expressed uncertainty about how he would get home. “I got the news when I was in Atlanta,” Willis added.
Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Chief Keith Powers addressed concerns about potential casualties. “We don’t think so, but we can’t say for sure until we get inside each and every one of those cars and checked, but I don’t think so,” Powers said when asked if anyone could be trapped inside the garage.
Mayor Deegan said the Jacksonville Aviation Authority (JAA) will be providing support and information to those affected. “I do know that they said they are going to use message boards, they will have information to the airlines, and they will be providing people with information as they get the update—so when they come off the plane, they know what to do.”
JAA also announced plans to launch a dedicated webpage where people who had parked in the hourly garage can submit their information.
Currently, nearly 2,000 parking spaces are out of service due to the fire. The garage was last inspected in October of last year.
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