LAUDERHILL, FLA. (WSVN) - Firefighters in two counties battled fierce flames after fires broke out in apartment buildings in Lauderhill and Miami Lakes, leaving multiple families displaced and sending a mother to the hospital
Officials said that woman’s baby suffered minor injuries after a blaze broke out on the fourth floor of an apartment building in Lauderhill.
As a result of the fire, 22 people, including 13 children, have been displaced.
Lauderhill Fire Rescue responded to the scene of a structure fire in the Inverrary Club Apartments, located 2600 NW 56th Ave., just after 8:30 p.m., Thursday.
A two-fire alarm went off when the blaze started in an apartment, according to fire officials.
Multiple agencies were dispatched to the scene, including the Tamarac Fire Department and Sunrise Fire Department, due to the amount of smoke and fire at the location.
Fire officials said the infant suffered minor burns on their arm. The infant’s mother suffered second-degree burns as she was carrying the child to prevent them from further harm.
Paramedics transported her to Broward Health Medical Center for treatment.
Firefighters managed to contain the fire to one apartment and extinguished it within 45 minutes, but the water from putting out the fire caused damage to several units below.
Resident Deezinnia Smith described the chaotic situation.
“I look up, and I see, like, black smoke everywhere,” said Smith, “and then the police came in, it was like, ‘Everybody has to evacuate, everybody has to get out, leave,’ for the fire people to clear the area.
Smith took out her smartphone and began recording the smoke in the hallway of the complex as she evacuated her unit.
“It’s unbelievable; you never expect what happened to go down,” she said.
Just over nine hours after the fire sparked in Lauderhill, another blaze broke out at the Cypress Village condominium complex, located at 7100 Fairway Drive in Miami Lakes.
Video showed smoke pouring out of a second-floor unit as firefighters prepared to enter.
“Cops, they knocked on all the floors, al the floors, to make sure everybody evacuated,” said resident Danny Barrera.
“It was about a quarter to 6, 5:30 in the morning, and I woke to the sound of helicopters and doors opening and people looking and going, ‘What’s happening?'” said resident Gary Klemme.
Neighbors watched from outside as crews extinguished the blaze.
Residents said a family with a toddler live in the unit where the fire ignited, but they were not home at the time.
“All the alarms rang, so it was a little scary, but there was a lot of smoke,” said Barrera.
No one was hurt in the Miami Lakes fire, as firefighters watched for hot spots.
“Absolutely concerned, because we have a lot of elderly people living in the neighborhood, including myself,” said Klemme.
The American Red Cross assisted all 22 people impacted by the fire in Lauderhill.
The state fire marshal said the cause of the Lauderhill fire is inconclusive.
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