Tragedy struck early Thursday morning in Miami, as a fierce blaze engulfed a single-story home on Northwest 16th Street, leaving four people hospitalized and a family in distress. According to Local 10 News, the fire was reported just shy of 12:30 a.m. City of Miami Fire Rescue teams rushed to the scene to tackle the inferno and assist the residents.
First responders found themselves in a dire situation as they learned a family member was trapped inside. "Two Miami Police Officers heroically entered the structure to render aid to the family and suffered smoke inhalation," said Lt. Pete Sanchez of City of Miami Fire Rescue in an email to Local 10 News. Both officers were promptly transported to Jackson Hospital in stable condition to quickly get evaluated.
The situation inside the home proved catastrophic for one resident. Family members identified the individual as Rogel Escalona, a 65-year-old man who was discovered on the floor with over 30% of his body covered in 1st and 2nd degree burns, NBC Miami reported. Rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital, Escalona was announced to be in critical condition.
Photographs released by fire rescue authorities displayed the gutted interior of the family's home, with areas completely unrecognizable due to fire damage. Amid the smoke and chaos, a City of Miami firefighter was also forced to seek medical attention, having to be transported to the hospital to be thoroughly evaluated.
The fire was put out quickly by firefighters, but a family of four lost their home. The cause of the fire is still unknown, but there's a suggestion it could be a lamp short-circuit. The fire department is still investigating.
