MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A fire erupted early Thursday at a townhome in southwest Miami-Dade County.
The fire started about 5:45 a.m. at 11377 SW 116th Terrace Road, near the Woodlawn Park Cemetery South between the Don Shula Expressway and Florida's Turnpike.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said the fire started in the shed and spread to the residence, with Thursday morning's winds helping to fuel the fire.
Sky 10 was flying above the fire as firefighters worked to extinguish the flames.
"The fire was so powerful in the backyard, that it was scary," neighbor Mario Mier said. "The neighbors were scared -- even my sister. She was freaking out."
Firefighters pulled two cats from the home and their owner also made it out safely.
Authorities said the burned out shell of the townhouse is all that remains after the fire, and two neighboring townhomes were also damaged by the fire and heavy smoke.
Other neighbors told Local 10 News reporter Carlos Suarez that they feared the fire would spread to their homes.
"I was about to go to work around 5:30 a.m. (I) put the sliding door open and started hosing down the whole yard, and it was too much," Mier said. "The flames were like 30 feet high."
The Red Cross is assisting two families that were displaced because of the fire.