Fire in Homestead forces 4 people from homes, leaves 1 firefighter injured

A fire in Homestead at two abandoned row homes injured a firefighter and forced four people from the neighboring homes. 

Just after midnight on Monday, flames took over two abandoned row homes on the 300 block of West 14th Avenue in Homestead. One firefighter was injured and four people escaped neighboring homes before fire crews spent hours battling the flames.

"All we have right now is the clothes on our back," said Kristin Baker, one of the homeowners. "I looked out his window and saw the reflection of flames in the window, so I ran downstairs and felt the heat as soon as I opened the door."

The Baker family lived in one neighboring home and another woman lived in the other. 

Sean and Kristin Baker say they have lived in the home for 10 years, and prior to them moving in, it was a multigenerational home where their nana lived.

"Took two years to renovate it and restore it to its glory and we did. So yes, super sentimental value to us," said Sean Baker.

"I was trying to alert my 81-year-old neighbor because it's midnight and I assumed she was asleep, and I couldn't get to the door. The flames just kind of kept jumping over to her porch," said Kristin Baker.

Between the two homes, four people were luckily able to escape and the firefighter who was injured was going to be OK. The Homestead Fire Department says the cause of the fire is still under investigation by the county fire marshal. They did confirm they believed it started in one of the abandoned homes. 

But now for the Bakers, the damage caused by the fire is forcing them to abandon their home.

"I have a 2-year-old, and his diapers are soaked and they have smoke damage. We can't go to the house. They told us that the level of smoke is just too strong for us to even grab anything," said Kristin Baker.

"Just trying to figure out what we need to rebuild and how to do it. Not certain," said Sean Baker.