HIGH SPRINGS, FL (352today.com) – High Springs firefighters were dispatched at 7:33 p.m. on Nov. 23 to the area of NW 230th Street and NW 189th Avenue for a reported outdoor fire. Initial 911 callers were unable to provide an exact location or size of the fire.
Crews arrived on scene within five minutes, having to cut a gate to access the property, finding smoke and flames showing from a large home, prompting the upgrade to a full residential structure fire response.
The initial call was for an outside fire and the High Springs’ Brush truck was first to arrive on the scene. With its smaller size and 4-wheel-drive capability, firefighters were able to be begin firefighting efforts quickly.
The nearly 4,100 square foot abandoned home presented several challenges, requiring assistance from High Springs Public Works, who used a tractor to clear a path for a ladder truck to safely access the overgrown property and assisted in removing portions of the structure to help extinguish the fire.
More than two dozen firefighters from High Springs, Alachua County, and Newberry responded, along with the High Springs Police Department and Duke Energy.
The fire was fully extinguished by 1:05 AM. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office.