Feb. 13--A blaze at a luxury apartment complex under construction at the St. Johns Town Center kept Jacksonville firefighters busy Tuesday afternoon as passing motorists on Butler Boulevard watched it burn.
But despite thick smoke and flames fed by exploding propane tanks, there were no injuries to contractors or firefighters at 5 Thousand Town, a six-story, 130-unit apartment complex at 5000 Big Island Drive.
Firefighters were called just before 4 p.m. after foam insulation being installed under the floor of a rooftop terrace area burst into flames, said Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department spokesman Tom Francis.
"They left the work site around 3:40 p.m. and something began to smolder," Francis said of the work crew. "That subsequently resulted in several 20-pound propane cylinders exploding with heavy black smoke visible as the first units arrived."
At least 60 firefighters ended up responding and Big Island Drive next to Butler Boulevard was blocked off as flames and smoke billowed from the rooftop, Francis said. Arriving firefighters were initially told there were workers trapped on the roof, but all employees were accounted for, he said.
Firefighters had to use a tall ladder truck's water nozzle to reach the upper floor as they hosed down other propane tanks. Their efforts were guided by police in the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office helicopter hovering overhead, Francis said.
The fire was reported under control in 15 minutes, Francis said.
Fire officials don't have a damage estimate yet as the state Fire Marshal's Office and U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating. The complex was estimated to cost $20 million when done, Francis said.
The building was slated to be finished by late April, the rooftop terrace to host a gathering area, outdoor theater and bar overlooking the Town Center, according to a Times-Union interview with developer Gabe Bove in December.
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