SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - A fire that broke out at an apartment complex in Southwest Miami-Dade caused an emergency evacuation and claimed the lives of an elderly man and woman, police said.
Miami-Dade Police and Fire Rescue units responded to the scene of the blaze along Southwest 18th Street, near 118th Avenue, Saturday morning.
According to investigators, the fire ignited on the first floor of the apartment complex, at around 5:15 a.m., Saturday.
Residents described the chaos inside the building after first responders arrived and began to evacuate the east wing of the building.
“We saw firemen breaking the walls and telling everybody to get out,” said a resident.
“I heard a loud banging coming from my room. Actually, I heard a banging from the bottom of my floor, and then the next thing I knew, my mother came in and said, ‘Yo, there’s a fire,’” said resident Jazmine Hernandez.
Crews quickly evacuated the structure and doused the flames coming from a first-floor unit where, officials said, the fire started.
Firefighters said they found the elderly man and woman inside the unit suffering from apparent smoke inhalation and burns.
They were rushed to Kendall Regional Medical Center, where they succumbed to their injuries.
Residents of the complex were saddened to hear of the tragic outcome and said the victims were a married couple.
“They were excellent people. Trust me,” said neighbor Julio Miranda.
Residents said firefighters worked quickly to save the rest of the building and made sure that everyone was OK.
“I’m happy that the first responders came and helped out,” said another resident.
Residents were eventually allowed back into their units, but the first-floor unit where the flames began remained closed down with metal shutters.
Neighbors said they will miss seeing and talking to the elderly couple who, they said, lived in the building for more than a decade.
“She always was very elegant, and he was a very educated person. He would say, ‘Hello. How are you? How is your family?’ Very friendly person,” said Miranda.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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