POMPANO BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Several people were forced out of their homes after flames caused massive damage to a triplex in Pompano Beach.
On Friday morning, near Southeast 10th Avenue and First Street, a fire ignited in the area.
Several firefighters responded to a building that destroyed units inside.
According to some neighbors, three homes were damaged as a result of the blaze.
“I’ve never seen that much fire in my life,” said Kristin Capiello. “It was terrifying. All of a sudden, I heard screaming and shouting. I opened my door, and I looked out and there were just flames billowing out of the apartment at the end of our building.”
A woman in her 70s said she was awakened by the fire around 6:30 a.m. and has been living in the triplex for the past 15 years.
She did not want to be on camera.
Another neighbor rushed to wake up others.
“I had to beat on their doors,” said Rich Rich. “I had to [knock on the doors of] two of the other neighbors that were there. Flames were blowing out. I had to move my vehicle out of the way. [The fire] was burning up the wires and everything. It was pretty crazy.”
The Red Cross stepped in to help those impacted by the fire, including Cappiello and her two children.
She said the destruction brought on by the blaze caused her family to move into a temporary home.
“Thank God ours is the least damaged,” said Cappiello.
The State Fire Marshall deemed all of the units unsafe.
Pompano Beach’s fire inspector said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
A GoFundMe page has been created for one of the residents displaced by the fire. If you would like to donate, click here.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.