Florida Nursing Home Fire Leaves One Dead
GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla. --
A man in his 60s died Saturday afternoon and at least eight others were injured when a fire broke out in a nursing home.
The fire broke out about 4:40 p.m. in the east wing of the Governor's Creek Health and Rehabilitation Center on Oak Street.
Orange Park Medical Center confirmed treating eight people for smoke inhalation -- five patients and three staff members.
A total of 22 people were evacuated during the blaze, but the fire was actually contained to one room and extinguished within 10 minutes of the arrival of firefighters.
"It's a concrete-block construction facility, so it actually held the fire in the one room," Fire Marshal investigator Robby Stephens said. "Which allowed staff to break windows and ventilate to the other rooms to get patients out."
Stephens said a preliminary investigation indicated the victim smoking in bed caused the fire. Officials said the man was on an oxygen machine, which caused the fire to spread rapidly.
Authorities have not released the name of the man who died.
A total of six Clay County fire engines, two ladder trucks and eight ambulances responded, plus equipment and personnel from the St. Johns County Fire Department.
Channel 4 will have live updates Sunday on the morning show beginning at 7 a.m.
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