LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA, FLA. (WSVN) - Heavy black smoke could be seen billowing from a two-story hotel in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea as firefighters worked to extinguish a fire that had broken out.
The town’s volunteer fire department responded to the scene at the Dee Jay Beach Resort, located near El Mar Drive and Washingtonia Avenue, at around 9:30 a.m., Tuesday.
“I was just sitting in the office, and we see a light smoke coming from the window area,” witness Ronnie Nava said. “I don’t think anybody’s been hurt. I didn’t hear no screaming or yelling or anything like that.”
7SkyForce HD hovered over the scene where thick, black smoke could be seen coming from a vent in the roof.
“We had heavy smoke showing on arrival,” said Lauderdale-by-the-Sea Fire Department Chief Riley Pine. “Within about 10 minutes, we upgraded it to a second alarm because of the fire, it was probably advancing overhead in the attic area.”
Crews from the Fort Lauderdale Fire Department have since responded to the scene to assist in putting out the fire.
“Within seconds, they had people here, and then, everybody else started coming,” Nava said. “Eventually, they got everything under control.”
One firefighter has been transported to the hospital.
“It looks like it was dehydration,” Pine said. “He was stable when he left.”
One unit at the hotel was occupied at the time the flames broke out, but the woman inside was able to evacuate the room safely.
Although the official cause of the fire remains unknown, some investigators believe the fire may have been sparked by electricity.
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