Firefighters returned from an emergency call on Saturday night to find their Westside fire house on fire.
District Fire Chief Randy Wyse said the firefighters left a stove on in Station 17 on Huron Street when they rushed out to answer a call. The rescue crew returned first, finding the kitchen on fire and managed to put it out before it broke through the roof.
The fire damaged the kitchen and parts of the firefighters' sleeping quarters. The engine company and rescue unit were moved to other facilities after the station was closed.
"No one is more embarrassed then they are and they'll be hearing about this for quite some time," Jacksonville Fire-Rescue spokesman Tom Francis said.
Officials said they were not sure how much the damage would cost. Work began Monday morning on repairs, which are estimated to take six weeks.
While those that help others put out fires aren't happy to be dealing with their own, they used this as an opportunity to warn others about leaving food on the stove.
"The vast majority of home fires do take place in the kitchen," Francis said. "In this particular case, there's hardly anything more combustible or polyphonic than pork chops that are frying in a frying pan that are left unattended."
