12-year-old boy, dog die in Margate house fire that damaged home and nearby power lines
A 12-year-old boy died Thursday after a residential fire engulfed a single-family home in Margate, officials confirmed Friday.
The call came in around 4:30 p.m about a home ablaze located in the 5000 block of Southwest Sixth Street.
The City of Margate said in a press release Friday that two adult relatives were also inside the home at the time. Both managed to escape, though one was later transported to a local hospital for evaluation.
Fire crews from Margate, with assistance from fire departments in North Lauderdale, Coconut Creek and Coral Springs, entered the burning house in an attempt to rescue the boy. When they found him, officials said, the child had already died.
One dog hiding inside the house was rescued, but a second dog died in the fire.
The blaze was so extreme that one Margate firefighter's bunker gear, including his pants and boots, caught on fire. Officials said he was not injured, officials said. The house suffered a partial roof collapse.
Margate neighbors mourn loss of 12-year-old boy
Neighbors gathered outside the home, visibly shaken. One neighbor said the boy had a developmental disability and was in the shower when the fire broke out.
"It's devastating because that's a child, and you cannot feel good to know a child's life has been lost," said Abby, a neighbor.
"It's sad, it's sad. I mean, my heart goes out to them. God bless them," said another neighbor, who was not identified.
Family members and neighbors described the night as heartbreaking.
Power knocked out to nearby homes
The fire also knocked out power to 13 nearby homes, according to Florida Power & Light. Crews worked into the night to restore electricity.
Officials are still assessing the damage to determine whether the house is salvageable or a total loss.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.