MIAMI (WSVN) - A dozen people have been displaced after a fire broke out inside an apartment building in Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood.
City of Miami Fire Rescue crews responded to the scene near Southwest Fourth Street and 12th Avenue, just after 8 a.m., Tuesday.
“Immediately, our crews began to extinguish the fire,” City of Miami Fire Rescue Lt. Pete Sanchez said. “There was heavy smoke and flames coming from the first floor.”
Officials said one man was inside of the apartment at the time the flames broke out and was able to escape.
Julio Llorente returned from a quick trip to the store to find his apartment on fire.
“It was a blaze! It was a blaze! I could see the smoke going through the roof,” said Llorente. “I have no idea why. It must have been some electrical problem. I immediately ran to the outside, broke the extinguisher and tried to walk in, but it was too much. I couldn’t take it, so I came out.”
Before coming out, Llorente woke up his roommate before evacuating the building.
Crews were able to put out the flames from the first floor of the building.
“Basically, I woke up, and there was just this weird smell like smoke, and I told my mom, I’m like, ‘Are you cooking something?’ and she’s like, ‘No,'” said resident Fernando Varela. “We looked everywhere, and we’re like, ‘It’s not here,’ and so we looked outside, and there was so much smoke everywhere.”
A total of 12 residents, eight adults and four children, have been displaced from their apartments due to the extent of damage caused by the fire.
A dog was rescued from the second floor and is said to be OK, while another dog remains unaccounted for. Officials hope the dog was startled when the fire sparked and took off running.
“One of our units was able to assist with a dog that they took out from the second floor safe and healthy, and we still have one dog that’s unaccounted for from the first floor,” Sanchez said.
American Red Cross volunteers have since responded to the scene to assist the displaced residents.
“I’m asking if anybody in the community can help us,” Llorente said. “I have no place to go, and I don’t know what to do.”
One family was able to grab a cage of chicks they had as they escaped the fire.
The cause of the blaze is under investigation.
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