Man, cat safe after raging fire engulfs Fort Lauderdale apartment
A man and his cat are safe after an intense fire engulfed his Fort Lauderdale apartment early Thursday morning.
Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue said just after 3 a.m. firefighters responded to multiple 911 calls about a fire on the fifth floor of the Marina Bay Apartments at 2610 Marina Bay Drive E.
When firefighters arrived they found a raging fire in one of the units.
Frank Guzman, with Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue, posted on X that the man who lives there made it out safely and firefighters rescued his pet cat. He added that it took about 20 minutes to knock down the fire.
Investigators said the fire started on the balcony.
Diana Restrepo said she was awake at 3 a.m. and heard noises. She said when she looked up at the unit directly above hers she saw the flames and quickly called 911.
Restrepo, who uses a wheelchair, said luckily the elevator was still working and she was able to evacuate the building. She said she saw the firefighters arrive and then something that made her smile.
"They came out with the cat. Everyone was cheering for the cat," Restrepo said.
While the man is okay, a close friend of his said the cat is on a ventilator because of smoke inhalation.
While the fire was contained to the one unit, all of the units below the fifth floor suffered water damage.
The units on the fifth floor also had water and smoke damage. Dozens of residents have been temporarily displaced, the Red Cross is assisting them.
"We're gonna be in the hotel for a couple days, we don't know how long," Restrepo said.
Jose Fuentes and his family live on the first floor. He said they grabbed their most important items from their unit, including medication for their son and their cat, and made it out safely.
"There was water everywhere," he said. "We are in the hotel, but no meals."
What sparked the fire on the balcony is under investigation, according to fire rescue.
