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 what happened 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’s health is very fragile due to the large amount of smoke he inhaled," he explained.
The couple's dog was also rescued, although it had difficulty walking and breathing due to the smoke.
"They had a portable air conditioner because the central air in the apartment was broken. It seems there was a power outage," Azoy added, noting that the unit could have been the cause of the incident.
However, authorities are still investigating the causes of the fire.
The apartment was completely destroyed and was declared unsafe by the authorities.
"The important thing is that they are still alive," concluded Azoy.
The family is now facing the uncertainty of not having a place to go and is requesting assistance to cover the medical expenses for the elderly and their pet.
Testimonials from the neighbors
The residents of the building described the moments of panic they experienced upon realizing there was a fire.
"The only thing we know is that when we were watching Miss Universe, we felt a large explosion. We thought it was outside, but then another one came," recounted a neighbor.
Another testimony highlights the quick actions of some neighbors who tried to extinguish the flames before the firefighters arrived.
"Thanks to some guys on the third floor who broke where the hoses are and started spraying water, they were able to prevent the fire from spreading further," recounted another resident.
Due to the high concentration of carbon dioxide, the police completely evacuated the 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 take her downstairs because the police told us to evacuate," reported a third neighbor.
"We feared that the people inside would not be able to escape alive. I had never seen a fire of such magnitude in my life," another resident of the building expressed, deeply 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 resulting damage.
While investigations continue to determine the causes of the fire, the priority for the family and the affected neighbors is the recovery of the victims and the restoration of their lives after this tragedy.
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