A woman was found dead inside an apartment that caught fire, according to the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department.
On Wednesday at about 12:30p.m., JFRD received a call of smoke coming from an Avesta Grande Point apartment. A woman was found dead inside.
“When we arrived at the scene, entry was forced, and an adult female was found already deceased inside of that respective apartment,” said Tom Francis of JFRD.
Francis would not say if the fire is considered suspicious.
MORE: Woman found dead in a fire at a Jacksonville apartment complex
“That’s not ever anything that we make a determination of,” Francis said. “The only thing that ever happens, is if the command structure here at the scene is 100% not convinced of what transpired, then the State Fire Marshal’s Office is called to the scene to perform the investigation, and that’s exactly what we have here.”
Neighbors tell Action News Jax the victim lived alone and used a wheelchair
Regina Schmidt lives nearby and witnessed the commotion.
“I heard all the sirens, so I came outside and I saw the apartment, and then [firefighters] going in,” Schmidt said.
“[The victim’s] father showed up, and they had to restrain him -- and I guess put him in the back of a car -- because he was trying to get into the apartment screaming her name,” she added.
Schmidt won't ever forget that father's cries.
“He was screaming just, ‘Why! Why!'” Schmidt said. “It's terrible.”
As the hours passed, the area around the apartment started looking more like a crime scene with JSO units in and out, as well as detectives.
Right now, Jacksonville police and the State Fire Marshal's Office are working together to learn how this happened.
“I believe it was just a horrible accident,” Schmidt said.
The property manager asked Action News Jax to leave the complex, but the parent company provided this statement:
"All of us in the Avesta family are deeply saddened by the death of one of our residents who passed away today during a fire at our Grand Pointe community. Our prayers are with the victim’s family during this difficult time. No one else was injured in this fire, and thanks to the quick response of Jacksonville Fire and Rescue, no other apartment units were damaged. We are now working with investigators to make sure they have everything they need from us as they determine the cause of this fire."