WEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - Tribe members are picking up the pieces, one day after a massive fire tore through their reservation in West Miami-Dade.
Homes, buildings and historic artwork are gone as a result of the blaze that erupted Sunday night near the Indian Village, just near Southwest Eight Street.
7Skyforce captured the aftermath after over a dozen people were displaced following the fire.
A total of five structures and nine vehicles were involved, coupled with the complexity of power lines that collapsed, prevented firefighters from advancing hose lines.
One of those structures destroyed by the flames was the Creativity Center, a place filled with Miccosukee history and cultural artifacts.
“The only reason I left is because a propane tank exploded right there,” said Khadija Cypress, who has lived at the village for years.
Khadija’ late grandfather, a former chairman of the tribe, helped her found the Creativity Center.
“When I look forward, I see this bright orange light and I just went, ‘Hey, there’s a fire!’ And the security guard was like, ‘What?’ I told him, ‘There’s a fire at Mary Jane’s house.’ And that’s when I drove close to it, running to warn people if there was anybody in that house,” said Khadija. “A propane tank exploded right there. Seven years of a lot of hard work gone in, like, 30 seconds. Like, that’s all it took.”
Over 25 Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units responded to the scene of the three alarm blaze, locating three structures fully engulfed by flames.
“We, as a community, are devastated and much was lost.,” said Chairman Talbert Cypress of the Miccosukee Tribe. “This generation has not seen anything like this.”
Tribe members said the damage from the flames total millions of dollars.
“What we have lost there is a lot of history in terms of the patchwork and in terms of the kind of stitching and sewing that that has been done over the decades,” said Curtis Osceola of the Miccosukee Tribe.
Though they mourn the loss of their cultural remnants, residents take comfort in the fact that nobody was seriously hurt.
“Our community stands ready to rebuild, to create new memories and new history at Tiger Camp,” said Talbert. “Culture and resilience thrives within our people, and we are thankful that no one was hurt.”
At last check, there are no reports of injuries.
The fire has since been placed under control. The cause is under investigation.
According to the tribe, the fire was sparked by a kitchen fire.
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