'This is just shocking:' Fire displaces 17 people at Orange Park apartment complex

ORANGE PARK, Fla. — The state fire marshal has determined what caused a fire that displaced almost 20 people at an Orange Park apartment complex.

The fire marshal said the fire started accidentally and originated in the HVAC unit in one of the rooms. The marshal said there are not any indications of suspicious activity.

Cellphone video shows fire engulfing eight units at Kings Tree Apartments Saturday night.

“I heard like a muffled pop or a bang then the fire shot from their back door,” Howard Moebes said.

Moebes said he watched from his porch as firefighters worked to put out the flames from several angles.

“Firemen on ladder trucks were cutting holes in roofs in order to be able to spray water inside,” he said.

A Clay County Fire Rescue spokesperson says 100 firefighters from Clay and Duval counties worked to put out the fire.

“It was huge and it kept growing bigger and bigger,” Lashonda Williams said.

Williams said she was at a birthday party at her sister’s house at Kings Tree Apartments when she saw the fire.

“We immediately ran from building to building letting people know, ‘Get out, there’s a fire,’” she said.

On Sunday, smoke alarms were still going off and water dripped from buildings.

A Red Cross spokesperson said 10 adults and seven children were displaced.

“This is unbelievable,” Patricia Shanley said. “Really heartbreaking.”

Action News Jax was there as she and other neighbors got their first look at the aftermath of the fire.

Shanley and other neighbors told Action News Jax that they’re thankful no one was hurt.

“God protected their health and they got out alive. That’s the most important thing,” Shanley said.

Cox Media Group