Photos: Firefighters extinguish residential fire in Weston Oaks neighborhood of High Springs

Press release from High Springs Fire Department

HIGH SPRINGS, Fla. –  At 8:57 p.m. on the evening of June 17, the High Springs Fire Department was dispatched to 16264 NW 202nd Drive in High Springs’ Weston Oaks neighborhood for a reported fire alarm activation. At 8:58 p.m., High Springs Police Department, who had been dispatched just moments earlier for a burglar alarm at this same address, arrived on the scene advising of smoke and fire showing from the roof; at that time, the call was upgraded to a residential structure fire, dispatching High Springs Heavy Rescue 29 and Alachua County Fire Rescue units to the home.

At 9:06 p.m., High Springs firefighters arrived on the scene of the single-story 2,200 square-foot home, advising of a heavy fire load from the roof. Firefighters quickly deployed a hose line to quell the blaze, putting water on the fire within five minutes of arrival. 

Due to the size of the structure and weather conditions, an additional engine company and Alachua County Fire Rescue’s Heavy Rescue 23 were requested on the orders of incident commander Chief Bruce Gillingham to add additional manpower and a light tower. No injuries were reported because of the blaze. The cause of the fire is believed to be a lightning strike.