MIAMI GARDENS, FLA. (WSVN) - Firefighters worked quickly to put out a fire that erupted inside an Advenir at Walden Lakes apartment building in Miami Gardens.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue crews responded to the scene in the area of Northwest 210th Street and Ninth Place, Tuesday afternoon.
Luckily no one was home when the fire began.
Although a total of 23 people are unable to return home, 12 being children.
7SkyForce hovered above the three-story building that could be seen with heavy smoke and flames coming from the back of the structure.
A family of six that lived on the second floor, the floor right under where the fire took place to be exact are just happy that they are safe.
“We know for now that we lost everything, so everything we had, all our valuables and stuff is lost,” said the resident. “You could imagine that, it’s a call you’re not expected to get.”
The resident didn’t want to show his face on camera, and doesn’t even want to think about the flames that escaped through the roof.
Firefighters worked to get into the apartment and were able to remove a part of the ceiling from the third floor of the apartment, in order to reach the flames.
More than a dozen units responded to the scene. The crews were able to get the fire under control quickly.
The resident’s wife and children were able to get out of the apartment safely.
“I had to leave work early and come support her and the kids,” said the resident.
The city building inspector condemned six apartments, because they either had fire, smoke, or water damage.
“We put a hose line in play, and then we take it up to the fire floor, and then we have other firefighters checking for an extension on the adjacent apartments to make sure it doesn’t spread through the roofs,” said Division Chief Horacio Rodriguez, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. “Especially in a fire like this where it happened on the third floor where the attic is located. It can spread easily through the attic, so we always want to get ahead of the fire to prevent it from damaging any more units than it has to.”
People who lived nearby hope those families affected by this fire can rebuild soon.
“Just gonna have to you know, you know start over again, but it is what it is,” said the resident. “The Red Cross doing everything they can for us. I couldn’t be more thankful.”
The American Red Cross is helping the families that were affected along with the Advenir at Walden Lakes Management company.
The resident said the plan is to eventually move into another apartment in the same Miami Gardens neighborhood.
The family said that they still have a grateful heart for what they still have.
“I’m just happy my family is here, each and every one of them. I love them to death. We just move on forward from here, Christmas and New Year’s is around the corner, we can’t let this bring us down,” said the resident.
The American Red Cross is providing financial assistance, mental health support and one-on-one counseling to help residents get into new places to stay.
The fire department was also able to save some salvageable Christmas gifts.
How the fire started is still under investigation.
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