MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – A car caught fire and the flames spread to a nearby home Saturday afternoon in Miami Gardens, authorities said.
A spokesperson for Miami-Dade County Fire Rescue said the fire started around 2 p.m. at a home in the 4300 block of Northwest 198th Terrace.
"It was terrible. There was a bunch of flames going everywhere. We just saw smoke in the sky. It was bad,” said neighbor Luis Perez.
The homeowner, Felix Otero, made it out safely with his little dog, but the home was damaged in the blaze. His son, Axel Ortiz, immediately arrived at the scene after receiving a frantic phone call from his mother.
"She called me first, she didn’t call 911. I guess she was that panicked," Ortiz said.
Neighbors described hearing an explosion.
"We heard a little explosion. I thought it was construction in the background, and that’s when my grandma ran in saying, 'There’s a fire outside,'" Perez said.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue crews said the car caught fire, destroying the carport, and then the fire spread to the side of the home.
"I know on this side of the house there is a bedroom, a bathroom and a master bedroom and closet, so I’m sure clothing and bedroom stuff and bathroom stuff got damaged," Ortiz said. "They worked hard for this house. They don’t make a lot of money, so it’s sentimental for them."