A devastating fire in an apartment in Hialeah left four people and a rescued dog on Saturday night.
The incident occurred in a building located at 460 East 23rd Street, and the swift response of the firefighters and police prevented a greater tragedy.
The fire started in an apartment on the third floor where a Cuban elderly couple resided.
The elderly woman managed to leave the apartment on her own, while her husband, who remained trapped, was rescued by the officers. Both are hospitalized at Jackson Memorial.
According to witnesses, the incident was preceded by two loud explosions that alarmed residents. The building's alarms went off, and neighbors, some still in shock, began to evacuate.
“When I stood on the balcony, I saw people trying to open the gentleman’s door, and everyone started to come out onto their balconies. We went downstairs quickly,” one of the neighbors told the local press.
The Hialeah police were the first to arrive at the scene. The officers managed to rescue the elderly man who was trapped and administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). They also used a fire extinguisher to control part of the fire before the firefighters arrived.
Rescue operation
The Hialeah Fire Department extinguished the fire upon their arrival and rescued four people, including an elderly couple, as well as their German shepherd, who suffered from smoke inhalation.
Images from the scene showed firefighters administering oxygen to the animal, which was having difficulty walking and breathing.
Of the four victims, two were airlifted to the Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital, while the other two were taken to nearby hospitals.
The Red Cross provided assistance to the displaced residents, who spent the night outside their homes due to the accumulated carbon dioxide in the building.
The residents of the building went through moments of distress. One neighbor recounted that her 90-year-old mother was asleep at the time of the incident and that she had to wake her up and bring her down because the police ordered the entire building to be evacuated.
"Really, thanks to some guys on the third floor who came up, broke where the hoses are, and started pouring water. That was captured on video," said another neighbor while describing the scene.
The apartment where the fire started was completely destroyed, with charred walls and visible water damage. Cameras captured melted steel and a strong odor that made it difficult for residents to return to the building.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the State Fire Chief. However, the hypothesis is being considered that it may have originated from the explosion of a portable air conditioning unit.
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