MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – A fire Wednesday gutted several units of a two-story apartment building in Miami Gardens. A local official said the blaze may have been intentionally set.
While the official cause of the fire is still under investigation, police said one man has been taken into custody for questioning. He was near the source of the fire when firefighters arrived, police said.
Miami-Dade Commissioner Barbara Jordan told Local 10 that one of the tenants set the fire.
“What I understand is that someone was very upset and set his own apartment on fire with the intent of trying to destroy the entire building,” Jordan said.
The fire broke out around 3 p.m. at the Crystal Lakes Apartments in the 2600 block of Northwest 207th Street. The view from Sky 10 showed smoke billowing from the roof as firefighters worked to douse the flames.
Dozens of residents were forced out of their homes. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said six units were destroyed and many more were damaged by smoke.
Some residents sat outside the complex, watching everything they owned go up in flames
Nearly 40 people were displaced because of the fire. Police urged people who need assistance to go to Bennett Lifter Park at Northwest 26th Avenue and Northwest 207th Street.
The Red Cross is also assisting the displaced residents.