MIAMI – City of Miami firefighters extinguished a fire at the St. Gerard Botanica in Miami's Little Haiti neighborhood early Saturday morning.
Miami Fire Rescue firefighters responded to the store at 5901 NE 2nd Ave., about 2:30 a.m. The store sells herbal remedies, charms, incense, candles and other items used for Voodoo rituals or treatments.
"The quickness of the crews showing up and actually forcing entry through the metal doors and then making a good stop on the fire rather quickly kept the rest of the adjacent businesses from getting damaged," Capt. David Nunez said.
Firefighters believe a candle that was left burning unattended was likely what set the store on fire.
The followers of Voodoo who will be making a pilgrimage from South Florida to Plaine-du-Nord in Haiti in late July are making offerings to the spirits in preparation for the annual festival.