Fire damages North Lauderdale townhomes

No injuries in fire

NORTH LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A fire damaged four townhomes in North Lauderdale early Friday morning.

It happened along San Remo Boulevard, right by West McNab Road, about 4 a.m.

The flames ripped through four townhouses. Two of the units were unoccupied.

"It was me, my sister and her husband. We live there. So, we just ran out," said Jocila Lewis.

Lewis said she and her family were awakened by something burning. When they stepped outside, they saw heavy smoke billowing next door.

"I ran outside. Yeah, I was frightened," said Lewis. "She saw the smoke coming out by the window over there, so she called me and told me the place was on fire."

"When you looked outside and I pulled the curtain and looked downstairs, I was saw the big smoke. The house was on fire, so we hustled downstairs," said Tedson Jacobs.

No one was injured in the fire.

"These particular residences have a common attic," said Jennifer Johnson, a spokeswoman for the city of North Lauderdale. "Right now, preliminary information shows that it (the fire) started in the attic and spread very quickly throughout the attic to affect all four units of the apartment."

Firefighters forced the seven residents in the townhomes to evacuate as they knocked down the flames. The townhomes all suffered smoke and water damage.

The city condemned the building.

The Red Cross is assisting the displaced residents.