MIAMI (WSVN) - Fire crews battled fierce flames at a century-old house in Miami’s Shenandoah neighborhood that was designated a historical landmark, and for members of the community, the damage it sustained has really hit home.
City of Miami Fire Rescue units responded to the scene of the blaze near Southwest 13th Court and 10th Street, not far from Calle Ocho, at around 8:45 a.m., Sunday.
For Nick Hados, seeing a fixture of more than 100 years old like this is devastating.
“In a sense, a piece of history is gone,” he said. “It is a shame, because it is one of a few houses in this style of architecture in South Florida.”
Rene Dago once called the house his home. He described the moment his mother notified him about the fire.
“This was her baby. This was her dream, and she was in tears, and I asked her what was wrong, and she said that she was getting phone calls that her dream was burning,” he said.
Video showed the building, which was built in 1918, engulfed in flames.
“I burst into tears. This was the house I grew up in; I lived here for 18 years of my life — my adolescence, my early young adulthood — and it was a lot,” said Dago.
More than 20 fire rescue units arrived to fight the massive blaze, as flames could be seen shooting from inside the house.
According to the designation report, the vacant building, which has been deemed unsafe since April, was first named the Ramsey Residence but is currently called Little Havana House. It was designated a historic landmark in 2015.
“It’s a very unique house, because it’s kind of a colonial looking house, which is not the norm in South Florida,” said Hados. “A historic part of a historic neighborhood, Shenandoah, and something that I’m sad to see go.”
“If people care about tourism, they should care about historic preservation, ’cause they go hand in hand,” said Denise Galvez Turros, a member of Miami’s Historic and Environmental Preservation Board. “That’s what travelers are looking for right now. They’re looking for unique experiences, and that was part of the unique story and experience of Little Havana.”
Dago said his family sold the home in 2017. He said the worst part is that his mother’s plans for the house may never come true.
“My mom had a dream: she wanted to make this an Airbnb. There were two guest houses in the back that we mostly used as storage but were the perfect size for a tenant, for an Airbnb, and she always had a dream,” he said. “She drew up the plans herself to basically make this place a bed and breakfast, which we lack heavily in Miami, and it would have been perfect for the Latin American community in Little Havana.”
As Hados took a last look at the charred remains, he said the historic landmark will be missed.
“The neighborhood in total won’t suffer, but it is still a unique part of this neighborhood,” he said.
“It’s very devastating. My mom didn’t want me to show her any photos, any videos, even talk to her about it,” said Dago.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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