17-05-2025
Fire Erupts at Jacksonville Airport, Temporarily Halts All Flights
Flights resumed at Jacksonville International Airport in Florida late Friday after a major fire in the facility's Hourly Garage forced a full shutdown for several hours. The blaze ignited just after noon and reportedly started in a single vehicle before spreading rapidly to roughly 50 others The Florida Times Union reported.
The fire led to partial collapses on the second and third floors of the garage and forced firefighters to pull back due to safety concerns. Drones were deployed to assess the damage. Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Chief Keith Powers said the structure, which was last inspected in October, will require a thorough investigation before reopening.
Officials confirmed the fire remained under control by late afternoon, though it continued to smolder. No injuries were reported.
The fire's location, on the garage level nearest the terminal, brought travel to a standstill. Some outbound flights managed to depart, but inbound traffic was halted until the airport officially reopened at 5 p.m. During the airport's closure, flights were diverted to Orlando leaders urged travelers to check with their airlines before heading to the airport, noting that parking availability remains severely limited. The 1,200-space Hourly Garage is closed indefinitely, and the Daily Garage was also taken offline Friday evening.
City officials said they would continue monitoring the situation. Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan, who joined emergency and airport officials at a press briefing, praised first responders and reiterated the importance of traveler safety. 'We'll continue to monitor the structure, but it will be a long process,' she said.
The incident comes just ahead of the Memorial Day travel rush and raises fresh concerns about infrastructure readiness at major transit hubs. For now, officials are encouraging the use of rideshare services and off-site parking lots while recovery efforts continue.
