The Jacksonville Fire Department responded to a report of a structure fire last night on Caldwell Street, but the situation turned out to be a small issue with smoke.
An emergency dispatch came in from a residence located at 538 Caldwell Street just before 8:15 last night. Upon arrival, firefighters found the occupants of the home outside and no visible flames anywhere. The homeowners told fire officials that a fire alarm had alerted them to the possibility of a fire and they were able to get out of the home without incident.
Firefighters made entry into the home, and upon further investigation, found smoke emanating from the basement. Firefighters opened the door to the basement and found that material from insulation and plastic bags under the top steps had gotten hot and had been burning. Firefighters used a handheld extinguisher to put out the remainder of the smoldering material.
Reports list the cause as undetermined, though fire officials do not believe the incident was suspicious in nature. An estimated $1,500 damage was recorded due to mostly smoke. Firefighters cleared the scene just after 9:45 last night. The incident remains under investigation.