After firefighters put out three fires Sunday night and Monday morning, Gainesville Fire Rescue is investigating any connections between the incidents.
In all three cases, there were no major injuries, according to a GFR press release. The homes and apartments that caught fire didn’t have working smoke detectors or sprinklers.
The first fire occurred at about 8:15 p.m. Sunday at a home located at 3155 SW Archer Road, according to the press release. The fire could be seen from the street, according to Alligator archives.
One elderly resident was taken to UF Health Shands Hospital for breathing in too much smoke, according to Alligator archives. GFR said the man was injured because he went back into his burning home to retrieve personal belongings.
The crew extinguished the fire within six minutes of arriving, according to the press release.
Although the cause of the fire is unknown, a fire chief wrote in the press release a space heater was possibly in use at the time of the fire.
GFR received a call about a second fire at Henics Heights Condominiums, a two-story building with 12 units, located at 1114 NW Sixth Street, at about 4:41 a.m. Monday.
Responding firefighters found one of the apartment units on fire and flames spreading to the apartment above it, according to the press release. GFR is also still investigating the cause of this fire but suspects it was food left unattended on the stove.
The last fire in the 12-hour window happened at about 7:24 a.m. Monday at another house, located at 2210 NW First Ave. The fire was in the attic over the garage and was extinguished in 13 minutes, according to the press release. The cause of the fire is suspected to be electrical but is still under investigation.
