HOLLYWOOD, FLA. (WSVN) - A fire broke out at an apartment building in Hollywood, and the state fire marshal is investigating the cause as a possible arson attack.
Hollywood Police and Fire Rescue crews responded to the Carriage Hills gated apartment complex along Sterling Road and North 68th Avenue just after 4 a.m., Thursday. Two officers responded before firefighters arrived, and they helped evacuate residents from the complex.
“If they see that people are in danger, they want to be able to step in, and they did a good job to get as many people out as they could, so nobody was injured,” Hollywood Police spokesperson Deanna Bettineschi said. “We are investigating this as an arson. The state fire marshal was on scene investigating, as well.”
Firefighters were able to get the fire under control after a massive response.
“The alarm went off around 4 o’clock,” said Carriage Hills resident Syd Weinstein. “All the fire trucks came in, the police cars came in. They were here within maybe five minutes. They came here very quick. I didn’t see any flames, only a lot of smoke. It was black smoke.”
The first and second-floor units were damaged by the flames. Property records indicate around 80 people live in the building, but they are safe.
“A lot of smoke coming out,” Weinstein said. “It could’ve been an appliance fire in the kitchen or something.”
Two residents and two police officers were transported to the hospital for smoke inhalation. One dog was also killed in the fire.
“They have been released, so they’re doing well,” Bettineschi said. “They’re in good spirits. Sadly, we did learn that there was an animal or a pet, a dog, that passed away.”
Detectives said their investigation has been centralized to one unit in the complex.
Several residents are looking for another place to call home after they were evacuated.
No charges have been filed.
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