8 displaced in apartment building fire in Ponte Vedra Beach

PONTE VEDRA, Fla. — The St. Johns County Fire Marshal is working to figure out what caused an apartment fire that displaced 5 adults and 3 children Monday afternoon.

At least two units caught fire at 611 Ponte Vedra Lakes Boulevard, at The Coast at Ponte Vedra Lakes Apartment Complex.

The local fire and rescue department said the call came in between 12:16 p.m. and 12:20 p.m.

PHOTOS: Apartment building catches fire in Ponte Vedra Beach

Multiple engines and ambulances were on scene with mutual aid from the Jacksonville Beach Fire Department, according to fire rescue.

Fire rescue said the fire was reported as spreading to the second floor of the building and that the fire was spreading to another building.

Angel Moran lives right across from the units that were overcome by the flames.

He told Action News Jax he'd never seen anything like it.

Moran said it was his cat that first alerted him.

"I looked outside and saw all this smoke. So I was like what’s going on? I thought it was some kind of attack!"

Responders said they performed a search upon arrival for any people inside. No one was reported to be trapped.

However, neighbors told Action News Jax a cat and rabbit inside one of the units did not survive.

Everyone appears to have evacuated the buildings and the State Fire Marshal and Red Cross have been notified, according to fire rescue.

Cox Media Group