Airport reopens most parking areas, reunites some owners and cars ahead of travel weekend
Owners are beginning to get their cars back nearly a week after a fire devastated parts of a parking garage at the Jacksonville International Airport.
The process of moving cars out of the South Hourly Garage and into a temporary lot for pickup began Wednesday night, and officials said the process will likely take multiple days.
'When we get to a safe vehicle we'll log the tag, cross-reference it with what we have in our database and give the person a call and tell them their vehicle is available,' said Greg Willis, Marketing and Public Relations Manager at the Jacksonville Aviation Authority. 'We're working round the clock to do what we can to get as many out in a safe manner and safely relocate them.'
Once inside the lot of Pecan Park Road, owners can grab them whenever they're able.
Car owners can submit their information for updates on the airport's website.
Just in time for the Memorial Day travel weekend, JAA announced Thursday that all parking areas have also reopened, aside from the southern portion of the Hourly Garage.
Related: Navigating limited airport parking for Memorial Day weekend: Here are some options
Not everyone is getting their cars back right now. Those whose cars were severely damaged or were in the collapse zone will have to wait.
'One thing I've learned since last Friday is one problem at a time, and this is today's problem, getting people the vehicles that we can salvage,' said Willis.
Several people who have been impacted are already seeking legal help.
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Below is a statement from law firm Morgan & Morgan:
'We have been retained by several people impacted by the massive fire at Jacksonville International Airport's Hourly Parking Garage whose cars, along with dozens of others, have been destroyed. We have already begun to investigate what went wrong and what could have been done to prevent this fire. We will work to uncover any negligence that contributed to this scary and dangerous incident and hold potentially responsible parties accountable for the damage caused.'
When informed about the legal firm's investigation, Jacksonville International Airport told Action News Jax that right now, it is 'focused on reuniting passengers who parked in the hourly garage with their vehicles, stabilizing the comprised garage structure and returning the airport to normal operations.'
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