Four cars burned after a fire in Homestead: investigating the causes

A fire reported early this Tuesday destroyed four vehicles—three cars and an all-terrain vehicle (ATV)—and damaged part of a home in a neighborhood in Homestead, Florida, according to Telemundo 51 in an exclusive video from inside the house.

The fire broke out around 2:35 in the morning at the 1000 block of Northwest and 9th Street, just a few meters from the entrance of the residence, where several people were present at that time.

The flames caused strong explosions as they burst the tires of the vehicles, which awakened residents in the area and prompted a swift emergency response: two fire trucks, police patrols, and ambulances arrived on the scene, and several streets were closed to traffic.

Marlon Isaías, one of the neighbors, described the moment he discovered the fire: "It was 2:35 AM and I saw a lot of lights and firefighters. When I went to check, there it was burning... the tires were exploding."

Another resident recounted the panic that seized the neighborhood: "One person panicked because the neighbor here knocked on our window, and we thought this was the house that was on fire."

The images captured by Telemundo 51 show intense flames and columns of smoke coming from the vehicles, as well as the occupants of the house running inside upon noticing the fire.

No injuries were reported in the incident.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The Homestead police reported that their investigators are continuing to review the available evidence, while the Miami-Dade County Fire Marshal —the technical authority specialized in fire investigation— was also present at the scene and took over the case.

According to a report from WSVN, investigators would have determined that the fire was intentionally set and that it would have started inside one of the vehicles. However, other local media outlets such as Local 10 and CBS Miami noted that the exact cause had not yet been officially determined at the time of their publications.

Some neighbors are already suggesting that the fire may have been intentional. "I think someone came to set it on fire; you start to worry because it could be your own car too," said one of the residents in the area.

So far, no arrests have been reported, nor has any suspect been publicly identified. When the Fire Marshal determines that a fire was deliberately set, the case may lead to criminal charges under Florida laws or at the federal level.