News and Public Media for North Central Florida
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Belleview Woman Saved From Burning Home

Flames and smoke engulf 75-year-old Alice Jackson's home in Belleview on Sunday.
Flames and smoke engulf 75-year-old Alice Jackson's home in Belleview on Sunday.

A 75-year-old Belleview resident was pulled from her bedroom and rushed to the hospital after her home caught fire Sunday afternoon.

Alice Jackson was taken to Ocala Regional Medical Center after Marion County Fire Rescue responded to a call about a house fire and trapped victim.

The fire engulfed about 30 percent of the home and was under control within roughly 20 minutes, said James Banta, Marion County Fire Rescue deputy chief.

The 911 call was made about 2:40 p.m. by neighbor Mary Williams.

“I was woke up by my wife saying the house across the street was exploding,” said Mary Williams' husband, Tom.

When Tom Williams and another neighbor ran to the house, they found all the doors of the home locked and began breaking windows to let the smoke out.

“I jumped up, didn’t have any clothes, grabbed one of my uniform pants, and ran across and just started breaking out windows,” he said.

It wasn’t until after the windows were broken that officials and residents around the house could hear Jackson from inside, Williams said.

“One of the police officers from Belleview … was there breaking out a lot of the windows and relieved some of the smoke building up inside of the house,” he said. “Hopefully, that saved her.”

Jackson — who uses a wheelchair, neighbors said — was removed from the house after fire officials found her in what was probably her bedroom.

“She was semi-conscious,” Banta said. “She was breathing, but barely.”

The cause of the fire remains unknown and is under investigation by the Florida State Fire Marshal’s office.

Leah is a reporter who can be contacted by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org.
Serena is a reporter for WUFT News who may be contacted by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news @wuft.org