NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - Good Samaritans jumped into action in a Northwest Miami-Dade neighborhood after a fire broke out inside a home.
Neighbors rushed to the house near Northwest 81st Street and Sixth Avenue after the blaze sparked, at around 6:30 p.m., Friday.
Among those who surrounded the home and banged on windows were cousins Rolando Lopez and Jeffrey Lopez.
“It was all full of smoke. Everything was black,” said Rolando.
“There were people inside, and we were knocking on the windows and knocking on the doors so they could come out,” said Jeffrey.
Cellphone video showed the fierce flames coming from the home.
The footage also shows Rolando as he ran inside a home next door to the one that caught on fire.
“I started running, and there was a whole bunch of people trying and knocking to get everyone out of the houses,” he said.
“There were two guys in the corner house. They were still inside, and we were knocking at it so they could come out,” said Jeffrey, “and then the second house next to it, the same thing: there were people inside, and we were knocking on the windows, knocking on the doors so they could come out.”
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue crews responded shortly after and spent hours battling the fire. Firefighters also pulled out two dogs that were trapped inside the burning home.
“When the firefighters came, the first thing they said was, ‘Go save the dogs,’ ’cause the people were already out, so as soon as the firefighters came, they went and they got the dogs, and they took the dogs out,” said Jeffrey.
By nightfall, the fire was out. Officials said no one was injured.
Jeffrey and Rolando said they aren’t sure how much their efforts helped, but they’re thankful they at least tried.
“I don’t know what could have happened. The worst might have happened for me,” said Jeffrey.
As of 10 p.m., Northwest 81t Street remained shut down near Sixth Avenue while crews work to determine what caused the fire.
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