Four unit residential building in Miami destroyed by early morning fire
MIAMI - A fire ripped through a four-unit residential building in Miami overnight.
Miami Fire Rescue said when crews arrived at the building at 30th Street and NW 19th Avenue just after 4 a.m. heavy flames were shooting through the roof.
Firefighters aggressively attacked the fire. A search of the building found it was not occupied.
Within half an hour the fire, which damaged all four units, was brought under control. No injuries were reported.
Carlos Contreras lives next to the building.
"If it weren't for the lady banging on doors yelling 'fuego, fuego', 'fire, fire' and I said 'fire?'. I'd have walked out my back door, for sure," he said.
Contreras said his daughter took a cellphone video of the fire, afraid the flames would hop over to them.
"Because of the breeze. If the wind hit the trees, I got banana trees, I have dried leaves and a fence that is old wood. One little spark, and there were sparks flying all over the place," he said.
The owner of the building said he had tenants living here a few days ago but they were letting others stay there as well, so he kicked them out. Now he's having a hard time believing this is anything but arson.
Miami Fire Rescue said they could not confirm that. Their investigations unit was called in and will determine what sparked the fire.
The building is a total loss.
