2 families displaced after fire ignites in NW Miami-Dade townhome – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports

NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) – Two families and several pets have been left without a home after a fire broke out inside a townhome in Northwest Miami-Dade.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units responded to the scene of the blaze off Northwest 64th Avenue, just before 7 p.m., Friday.

The fire brought holiday heartbreak for homeowner Joseph Daniel and his wife.

“I’m watering my garden, and next thing I know, there’s a fire behind me,” he said. “When I turned around, I saw smoke coming from the attic, so I checked inside the house, because I’m wondering where the smoke was coming from, “and that’s when I realized there was a fire under the screening patio.”

The couple were caught by surprise as smoke started to fill their home inside the Country Village community.

“No idea what happened,” said Daniel.

“Fire had spread into the house, and there were five cats while [firefighters] were doing the search in the house,” said MDFR, Div. Chief Mark Chavers.

Crews pulled out the cats and attempted to revive them. Sadly, one of them would not survive.

“Very thankful to see the extent they go through, a real professional job,” said Daniel

The firefight lasted for over an hour.

Now at least two families have been left picking up the pieces just hours away from Christmas Eve, as an investigation begins.

“We will see what happens starting tomorrow,” said Daniel. “We’ll survive, we’ll pull through.”

Volunteers with the American Red Cross are assisting both families impacted.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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