It was a terrifying morning for families in Jacksonville’s Arlington neighborhood after a fire ripped through the Red Bay Apartment Complex just after 5 a.m. Tuesday. Five families were forced from their homes — and one man says he lost everything, on his birthday.

JFRD says five apartment units were damaged — four with heavy fire damage and one with primarily smoke. Thankfully, no injuries were reported. 

Scott Gray, who lived in the complex for 12 years, says the morning started with a scream from his fiancé.

“I was woken up by my girl telling me, ‘Scott, Scott, there’s smoke in the house,’ and I woke up and I could see through the ventilation,” Gray said. “And there was even smoke punching its way through the wall.” 

He says smoke was pouring into the apartment as he, his fiancée and their two dogs made a run for it.

“It was smoke pushing its way through and it wasn’t a little bit, it was a lot,” Gray said.

Now, they’re staying with his in-laws. He works a front desk job at a hotel and doesn’t know how he’ll get back on his feet. “I’m just so happy that everybody got out safely. I mean at the end of the day it is lives that are important. All the stuff is just money. I say that, but I know I’m gonna be taking a gigantic hit with this.”

The Red Cross is assisting 13 adults and one child who were displaced by the fire. JFRD says the cause is under investigation by the State Fire Marshal.

“Not even really sure where to go from here, but the fact is that we’re alive and that’s really all that matters,” Gray said. 

Gray says it’s a birthday he’ll never forget — but one he’s grateful to survive.