Third alarm response mobilizes 35 firefighters as intense blaze tears through Rent-A-Center at Choctaw Plaza in Fort Walton Beach
Fort Walton Beach, Florida – Flames and thick smoke poured from a storefront at Choctaw Plaza on Monday night as firefighters rushed to contain a commercial blaze that left one business heavily damaged and several others affected by smoke.
The Fort Walton Beach Fire Department received a 911 call shortly before 8 p.m. on Feb. 23, 2026, reporting a fire at the shopping center located at 119 Racetrack Road NW. Crews arrived within minutes and were met with heavy smoke and visible flames coming from the west side of the plaza, where the Rent-A-Center furniture store was located.
Given the size of the structure and the intensity of the fire, the response was quickly escalated to a third alarm. Additional personnel and equipment were requested to support what officials described as a demanding and fast-moving operation. In total, roughly 35 firefighters and about 10 emergency vehicles from Fort Walton Beach, Ocean City-Wright Fire Control District, and the Okaloosa Island Fire Department converged on the scene.
Firefighters launched an aggressive interior attack, pushing into the building in an effort to confine the flames to their point of origin. After about 30 minutes of sustained work, crews were able to bring the fire under control. Their efforts prevented the blaze from spreading into neighboring businesses, though smoke traveled through the roof structure and caused damage to several adjacent units within the same building.
The Rent-A-Center store sustained extensive fire damage and significant property loss. Surrounding businesses experienced smoke damage as a result of the incident.
No occupants were inside the building at the time the fire broke out, and officials confirmed that no civilians or firefighters were injured.
The cause and origin of the fire remain under investigation by the Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office. Authorities said no additional details are available at this time.
Fire officials also expressed appreciation for their mutual aid partners, including Ocean City-Wright Fire Control District and the Okaloosa Island Fire Department, as well as the Eglin Air Force Base Fire Department, which provided district coverage during the response.
