Resident of Mandarin Lakes Apartments fire trying to come to grips with the loss

Eleven people were displaced after a large fire swept through the Mandarin Lakes Apartments in Jacksonville last Thursday, damaging 12 apartment units.

Affected residents are still processing their losses after Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department crews arrived around 8 a.m. to find heavy flames burning on the second and third floors of a building.

Nine of the 12 affected units had residents living in them at the time.

The fire left visible destruction throughout the upper levels of the structure, where windows were left with shattered glass and large tarps were placed to cover balconies on the second and third floors.

Fire officials said investigators are working to determine the cause of the blaze.

Resident Kelsie Lisner was inside her apartment when the fire broke out. Her home was situated directly next door to the unit where the blaze originated, resulting in the total loss of her residence and belongings.

Returning to the property after the fire, Lisner described struggling to process the sudden loss of her home.

“Oh, I’m in complete shock. I know I look fine and I’m acting fine. I am in complete denial, 100% complete denial,” Lisner said.

“I’ve never been through something like this. And I don’t know how - I’ve had to grieve before - so I am going through that process right now.”

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