Four people and a dog were rescued last Saturday after a fire destroyed an apartment on the third floor of a building located at 460 East 23rd Street in Hialeah.
Gustavo Azoy, who identified himself as the son of the elderly couple living in the affected apartment, shared details of the incident with Telemundo 51.
According to Azoy, his mother, Silvia, managed to escape the apartment while his father, Andrés, was trapped in the flames. He was rescued by Hialeah officers who performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on him.
Both are admitted to Jackson Memorial Hospital.
"My mother is in stable condition, but my father is very ill due to the large amount of smoke he inhaled," he explained.
The couple's dog was also rescued, although it struggled to walk and breathe because of the smoke.
"They had a portable air conditioning unit because the central air system in the apartment was malfunctioning. It seems there was a power outage," Azoy added, noting that the unit could have been the cause of the incident.
However, the authorities are still investigating the causes of the fire.
The apartment was completely destroyed and declared unsafe by the authorities.
"The important thing is that they are still alive," Azoy concluded.
The family now faces the uncertainty of not having a place to go and is requesting help to cover the medical expenses for the elderly and their pet.
Neighbors' Testimonials
The residents of the building described the moments of panic they experienced when they noticed the fire.
"The only thing we know is that when we were watching Miss Universe, we felt a big explosion. We thought it was outside, but then another one came," recounted a neighbor.
Another account highlights the swift actions of some neighbors who attempted to extinguish the flames before the firefighters arrived.
"Thanks to some guys on the third floor who broke the pipes and started to pour water, we were able to prevent the fire from spreading further," said another resident.
Due to the high concentration of carbon dioxide, the police evacuated the entire building, affecting even the residents of the adjacent building.
"I have a 90-year-old mother who was sleeping. I had to wake her up and get her downstairs because the police ordered everyone to evacuate," recounted a third neighbor.
"We feared that the people inside would not be able to escape alive. In my life, I had never seen a fire of such magnitude," expressed another resident of the building, moved.
In total, four people were taken to hospitals, including the elderly couple. The identities of the other two hospitalized individuals have not been disclosed.
The Red Cross provided assistance to residents who were unable to return to their homes due to the strong odor and the damage caused.
As investigations continue to determine the causes of the fire, the priority for the affected family and neighbors is the recovery of the victims and the restoration of their lives after this tragedy.
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