Two Christmas Day fires leave families homeless in Homestead, Broward

Several people were left without shelter Christmas morning after fires broke out in a Miami-Dade mobile home community and a Broward County apartment complex.

American Red Cross “Disaster Action Team” volunteers responded to the fires, which they said in a news release affected a total of 16 people. Volunteers were working to coordinate emergency aid for the families Christmas Day.

Nine people — including five children — were affected in Homestead, where a fire broke out at Cocowalk

Estates around 1:45 a.m., according to a Miami-Dade Fire Rescue spokesman. No cause of the fire was determined, but an investigator was requested, the spokesman said. There were no injuries reported related to the blaze, which was a “1alarm fire,” the lowest level of a fire alarm.

A fire at the Enclave Apartments at Waterways in Deerfield Beach left seven people from three units affected, including three children, according to the Red Cross.

Red Cross volunteers provide emergency financial assistance, relief items like toiletries and connections to recovery assistance for those involved.

Home fires are more prevalent around the holidays, according to Deborah Koch, the executive director of the Red Cross’ Greater Miami and the Keys Chapter.

“We encourage everyone to take time to test their smoke alarms and practice their fire escape plan with everyone in their household to ensure they can get out in two minutes or less,” she wrote in an email.

Those who want to help may make a donation to redcross.org/donate or become a Red Cross volunteer by applying at redcross.org/sflvolunteer.