Ocala Fire Rescue crews were able to contain a vehicle fire on the third floor of an AdventHealth employee parking garage early this morning after a quick-thinking passerby used extinguishers to keep the flames at bay.
Units were dispatched to the parking structure, located at 250 SW 11th Street, at 6:38 a.m. on Friday, April 17.
Upon arrival, firefighters observed gray smoke venting from the east side of the third floor. Crews discovered a four-door Kia with the engine compartment fully engulfed in flames. At the time, the flames were beginning to extend into the passenger area.
Firefighters from Ladder 3 utilized the building’s standpipe to initiate a fire attack with a hose line, while crews from Rescue 3 searched the area and confirmed all occupants had safely evacuated the structure. Additional support was provided by Engine 1, Engine 7, and Tower 1.
The fire was successfully extinguished within six minutes of firefighters applying water to the vehicle.
Officials noted that the swift actions of a passerby who used fire extinguishers before crews arrived, paired with the efficient response from firefighters, limited the fire to the original vehicle.
Despite the quick containment, two adjacent vehicles sustained minor heat damage.
Once the flames were out, crews used thermal imaging cameras to check for remaining hot spots and deployed ventilation fans to clear smoke from the parking levels.
No injuries to civilians or emergency responders were reported.
In addition to OFR units, the Ocala Police Department and Marion County Fire Rescue also responded to the scene.
UPDATE: This story was updated with additional details about the incident shortly after publication.