HIALEAH, Fla. – Loved ones are mourning the loss of a mother and daughter who were killed Thursday morning as they tried to escape their home in Hialeah that had caught fire.
"They loved their children, their grandchildren, their great-grandchildren," Emilia Rodriguez's granddaughter, Maritza Rodriguez, said.
Emilia Rodriguez, 87, and her daughter, Alba Soto, 65, were killed early Thursday in a fire that ripped through their Hialeah home.
Their family was left saddened and frustrated after learning that their loved ones may still be alive today had it not been for security bars installed on their home, which firefighters said prevented them from escaping the flames.
"This is a tragedy that should not happen again," Martiza Rodriguez said.
Security or "burglar bars" are a common sight in South Florida, with many that were installed decades ago.
"(You need) something that will open outward and allow the person to effectively escape from their house," Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Lt. Felipe Lay said.
Lay said the fire department is trying to get the word out about the dangers of fixed bars on windows and created a public service announcement with terrifying 911 calls from people trapped.
"If you can, have a release mechanism on them, get new bars, or change your whole security system," Lay said.
The bars are a tool to keep burglars out, but in some cases they can mean the difference between life and death.
"Get the bars off, get new ones that you can open from the inside," Maritza Rodriguez said.
Burglar bars are actually against Florida state fire code, but they are often still installed.