A man was found dead inside a home near Jacksonville’s Grand Park neighborhood Monday evening. Firefighters found him in the room where the blaze appeared to have started. Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department crews were dispatched to the West 17th Street home at 5 p.m.; the fire was under control within minutes of their arrival.
News4JAX reported that Engine 7 arrived at 5:03 p.m. and found fire showing on the home’s exterior. Crews began attacking the fire as Ladder 7 searched inside, where firefighters found an adult male dead in the room where the fire appeared to have originated. JFRD declared the fire under control at 5:12 p.m. News4JAX reported the response details.
Fire Marshal Now Investigating Cause
The State Fire Marshal's Office is investigating the cause, which has not been determined. JFRD Director and Fire Chief Percy Golden II said crews arrived quickly, fought hard and did everything they could to reach a good outcome. He called the death a heartbreaking loss, saying “our hearts are with this man's family tonight” and that “he never wants a call to end this way.”
Earlier Fires Near Grand Park
Earlier Fires Near Grand Park Monday's fire was reported at a home near the Grand Park neighborhood. In January 2025, two people—an adult male and an adult female—were found dead inside a fully engulfed home on the 2000 block of West 30th Street. JFRD responded around 6 a.m., News4JAX reported at the time. In September 2025, four people, including two children, were taken to a hospital after a fire at a home on Sherrington Street near Division Street, reported around 7:50 a.m. JFRD said that fire's cause was under investigation. The September fire occurred about 14 months before Monday's blaze.
Statewide Fire Data
The Florida State Fire Marshal’s 2020 annual report recorded 57,481 fires and 171 civilian fatalities statewide, according to the Florida State Fire Marshal. These figures are a statewide benchmark, not Jacksonville-specific or residential-fire totals; the available data do not show how those figures changed in later years.
Residential Fires Remain Common Citywide
Residential Fires Remain Common Citywide
As of Monday evening, no cause had been determined for the West 17th Street fire, and the man's identity had not been released. The State Fire Marshal's Office investigation remains ongoing.
