State Fire Marshal's Office: Cause of Belleza condo fire undetermined

Action News Jax obtained the final investigation report by the State Fire Marshal's Office into the Belleza condo fire, which revealed "the exact cause of this fire would not be determined."

Twenty units were destroyed in the massive fire that displaced more than a dozen families in July.

Former condo owners said they were disappointed in the final report because they were hoping for more answers.

“It’s very disappointing. After all the time, you would’ve thought they collected enough data and information with the technology we have to be able to put something together,” former condo owner Marlene Vincent said.

Vincent said she lost nearly everything in the fire.

Vincent said former residents were let down from the start of the fire with the response of St. Johns County Fire Rescue.

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Two employees were fired and one resigned after a SJCFR internal investigation revealed they failed to properly investigate the fire after the first 911 call.

“The whole thing was very mismanaged,” Vincent said.

The fire marshal’s report said witnesses believe the fire was connected to someone “smoking on (a) balcony.”

It’s something residents told Action News Jax in the days after the fire too.

Vincent said residents were hoping for closure from the report.

“People just want to know if it was something to do with the building or if it was obviously something to do with neglect or what the issue really was; could be a combination of things,” Vincent said.

Vincent said the report may hinder the ability of former condo owners to seek damages because it’s unclear who, if anyone, should be held responsible.

“Not knowing who is to blame or if someone was to blame then you can’t really go after anybody when it’s not conclusive,” Vincent said.

Cox Media Group