The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department responded to a call of a fire in a parking lot at EverBank Field Sunday after the Jaguars beat the Bills 10-3.
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Fire investigators say it happened in parking lot X by the river, and that both Jags and Bills fans were tailgating in that lot.
#jaguars declining to comment about Bills fans allegedly setting bonfire outside Everbank Field after Bills loss Sunday to jags in playoffs pic.twitter.com/iuK0avRnmA
— Cole Heath (@ColeHeathMSP) January 8, 2018
Action News Jax Traffic reporter Derrick Odom was there, as well as other Jaguar fans that said the Bills fans started the bon fire.
"We just walked up and see this glow coming from the field over there and a ring of fans. I've never seen them trash it like this and set stuff on fire. I mean there was garbage littered all over the place," Odom said. "I didn’t see anyone arrested or cited...everyone kind of disbursed."
Pile of burned folding tables, beer cans and trash left outside the Bank. Witnesses say Bills fans started bonfire that JFRD had to put out. Trash littering the area too. pic.twitter.com/pxX4PUUXj4
— Cole Heath (@ColeHeathMSP) January 8, 2018
#bluelight cans, melted broken folding tables- all part of a bonfire set after the #buffalobills… https://t.co/YODqFnXcX3
— Cole Heath (@ColeHeathMSP) January 8, 2018
#bluelight cans, melted broken folding tables- all part of a bonfire set after the #buffalobills… https://t.co/YODqFnXcX3
— Cole Heath (@ColeHeathMSP) January 8, 2018
Numerous videos and pictures of the fire were posted to social media along with posts showing JFRD putting out the fires as Bills fans surrounding the area.
Bills fans doing their stadium chants and cheers are audible as crews put out the flames in some of the videos.
#bluelight cans, melted broken folding tables- all part of a bonfire set after the #buffalobills… https://t.co/YODqFnXcX3
— Cole Heath (@ColeHeathMSP) January 8, 2018
#bluelight cans, melted broken folding tables- all part of a bonfire set after the #buffalobills… https://t.co/YODqFnXcX3
— Cole Heath (@ColeHeathMSP) January 8, 2018
“They (bills fans) didn’t like that loss very much.” Said this man who is cleaning up the mess left in the stadium parking lot. Says fans of both teams left trash but buffalo fans left melted pile of garbage after a bonfire. Cleanup is beginning now. pic.twitter.com/RssQy3zPh5
— Cole Heath (@ColeHeathMSP) January 8, 2018
One bills fan tweeted “thank you Jacksonville Fire Dept. for saving the #billsmafia from themselves” along with a video of the scene.
Statement from bills fan who shot the video of JFRD putting out tailgate bonfire. pic.twitter.com/yiXghYsO36
— Cole Heath (@ColeHeathMSP) January 8, 2018
#jaguars declining to comment about Bills fans allegedly setting bonfire outside Everbank Field after Bills loss Sunday to jags in playoffs pic.twitter.com/iuK0avRnmA
— Cole Heath (@ColeHeathMSP) January 8, 2018
It appears the Bills fan who posted the videos of JFRD putting out tailgate bonfire started by Bills fans, according to witnesses, has taken videos off his twitter. He issued this statement to me yesterday. The videos and full story is on @ActionNewsJax.com pic.twitter.com/EwkPSF1dBt
— Cole Heath (@ColeHeathMSP) January 9, 2018
City officials confirmed that bonfires are still part of a burn ban across Jacksonville.
Jaguars fan John Frazier volunteered to help clean up the shipyards after seeing the report on the trashed lots on the news.
"I wouldn't come to your city and destroy your city with a bonfire," Frazier said.
Those helping to clean up the mess say both Jacksonville and Buffalo fans contributed to the trash.
The Jaguars' organization declined to comment about the incident.
#jaguars declining to comment about Bills fans allegedly setting bonfire outside Everbank Field after Bills loss Sunday to jags in playoffs pic.twitter.com/iuK0avRnmA
— Cole Heath (@ColeHeathMSP) January 8, 2018
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