A Fort Lauderdale community is rallying around two families after a fire scorched two homes on Northwest 69th Court. Yesterday evening, Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue was dispatched to tackle a significant blaze that, according to the Miami Herald, started at one house and quickly spread to another.
Firefighters were faced with a daunting task, as they aggressively worked to control the flames which were vigorous enough to be spotted from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, located approximately two miles away. In a desperate bid to save lives and property, 14 units from Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue, with support from Broward Sheriff’s Office Fire Rescue, battled the inferno. “It’s pretty fortunate no one was hurt,” a department spokesperson, Frank Guzman, told the Miami Herald.
In the chaos, eleven people and two pets managed to escape uninjured. A resident of one of the homes, William Marley, described to WSVN getting jolted awake by the sounds of his grandmother's screams alerting the family to the blaze. Marley then quickly took action to ensure all, including the family pets, were safely evacuated.
The aftermath of the fire left both homes severely damaged. "Oh, my gosh, that’s so bad," said an onlooker in a video of the fire. Propane tanks exploded amidst the debris, posing additional challenges for the first responders. Frank Guzman mentioned that the “propane tanks made it difficult for us to access that area," in a report by WSVN. The American Red Cross has since stepped in to provide emergency aid to the eleven individuals, including four children, affected by the disaster.
Although the cause of the fire is still unknown, the Marley family is expressing gratitude that all members are accounted for and unharmed. "We’re alive. It's just another day, it’s a thing. If money bought it, money can fix it, so why am I going to worry?" homeowner John Marley expressed to WSVN. To help with the recovery efforts, a GoFundMe page has been created for those wishing to provide financial support to the families during this trying time.
