JACKSONVILLE, FL — Firefighters were still mopping up hot spots Tuesday evening after a Riverside warehouse went up in flames.


Dozens of firefighters were called to this furniture packing warehouse as flames and smoke poured out. The warehouse is located near the intersection of King and Gilmore streets. Firefighters had a tough time getting through the building.

The business burning down has only been in the building a few weeks.

Now it’s all crumbling in the heat of the fire.

“All of a sudden you see this black smoke and you see some guys drive back to the warehouse. And the next thing you know the warehouse started shooting black smoke everywhere,” said Nathaniel Powers, Sr., who witnessed the fire.

The building houses a furniture boxing company.
It made it hard for fire rescue to get in.

“We were not able to find the scene of the fire initially. The reason why is because the building is literally loaded from top to bottom with cardboard boxes, furniture pieces, etc.,” said Tom Frances, with Fire and Rescue.

Firefighters say they don’t yet know the cause of the fire, but they’re hearing from witnesses what happened.

“We have some eyewitness accounts of workers within the actual building. That at one time, during their packaging activity an explosion was heard,” said Frances.

“The only thing I could say now is god be with them,” said Powers.

Firefighters are still trying to determine a cause.