MIAMI – A family of six was displaced from their home Friday morning after a fire erupted inside.
According to City of Miami Fire Rescue Lt. Pete Sanchez, who is a spokesman for the department, the fire occurred inside an apartment unit at 2417 NW 26th St.
Jessica Puerto told Local 10 News reporter Parker Branton that the fire started around 7 a.m. in the kitchen as she was cooking breakfast for her children.
“So there was oil in the area, so it spread even more,” another relative Jessica Torres said.
Cellphone video recorded by one of the children in the family shows everyone running to the parking lot for safety.
You can see City of Miami firefighters arriving to battle the flames, quickly noticing a man calling for help on the balcony.
Sanchez said firefighters rescued the man from his balcony after the apartment became overcome by smoke.
“Our crews immediately extended a ladder, made their way up to the second floor to rescue this victim and make sure no one else was inside,” he said.
Photos taken from inside the apartment show significant damage in the kitchen and living room.
A mother and father live inside the apartment, along with their four kids whose ages range from 1 1/2 to 13. They were all inside the unit when the fire erupted, but they all made it out OK and Sanchez said no one was injured.
The family went back inside after the fire was extinguished to find much of their home destroyed.
They did find several items that were untouched by the fire, including a couple of bibles, which made the mother emotional.
The family is now planning on staying with a relative for the time being. The American Red Cross is also assisting the family, including by providing “emergency financial assistance, relief items like toiletries, health and mental health services and one-on-one support to connect people to available recovery assistance.”
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