NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - A South Florida business owner is reeling after a fire that, she said, was intentionally set broke out at a commercial building, tearing through her barbershop and other businesses, early Saturday.
The blaze happened at The Fade Center, located near Northwest 57th Avenue and 195th Drive in Northwest Miami-Dade. It was reported just before 4 a.m.
When crews arrived, they found the business fully engulfed. Firefighters cut through metal doors as flames ripped through the building.
Store owner Maribel Galvin arrived at the scene shortly after. “When we came in, it was totaled,” she said.
The flames spread to neighboring businesses. Speaking to 7News in Spanish, a man who works a grocery store nearby said he didn’t know what happened or how it all started. “I saw a lot of smoke,” said the man, who asked not to to be identified or show his face on camera.
No one was hurt.
Officials said Galvin’s business took the brunt of the damage. “Everything was consumed,” said Galvin.
While Galvin and her crew clean up the charred remains, she said several barbers are now out of work.
No official cause has been released, but Galvin said she watched the surveillance video and it was clearly intentional. “You can see on the camera video, you can see someone breaking in the door, going underneath the door, through the glass, spreading gasoline on the seats of the barbers and just setting the fire,” she said.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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