GFR extinguishes fire in multi-family building, rescues cat

Press release from Gainesville Fire Rescue

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – At 2:37 a.m. this morning, Gainesville Fire Rescue (GFR) crews from Stations 1 and 3 were dispatched to a residential house fire at 201 SW 4th Ave.

Crews quickly extinguished the fire, limiting the spread into the two-story structure that is broken into multiple apartments. District Chief Mike Steele stated, “The quick actions of the crews stopped the fire from spreading to nearby structures.” Five residents were displaced by the fire. No injuries have been reported.

Firefighters were hindered in their actions by the extreme layout of the building. Due to low visibility and the multiplex nature of the building, crews were forced to search portions of the building using a technique known as “Vent Enter Search” (VES). During a VES operation, fire crews enter through a window to search a room that has been cut off from the rest of the home by fire. The maneuver is known to be high-risk because, as District Chief Ron Thomas explained, “The firefighters do not know what environment they will be entering and conditions are normally zero visibility in these situations.”

One cat was rescued from the house and treated at the scene. The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation. Deputy Fire Chief Shawn Hillhouse commended the crews for their actions and reminded citizens to have an evacuation plan for their families and practice fire safety to prevent emergencies.

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