Two dozen left homeless after big fire
OAKLAND PARK — A huge early morning fire gutted an apartment complex, displacing at least two dozen people in what officials said appeared to be the worst residential fire in the city in 10 years.
The blaze, which witnesses said erupted at about 5:45 a.m. Monday, destroyed or heavily damaged up to 16 units at the Greentree Apartments on Dixie Highway, north of Commercial Boulevard, fire officials said.
Dozens were evacuated and nearly 30 fire vehicles from several different area departments responded. A stretch of North Dixie Highway was shut down for several hours.
There were no initial reports of serious injuries, officials said. An investigation into the fire’s cause was underway.
Residents, some clutching the pos-
sessions they were able to grab before fleeing to safety, described a dramatic scene.
“The flames I saw were on the balcony area and ‘whoosh!’ — a lot of fire and smoke coming from everywhere,” said Shameka Barnes, 23, who also called 911.
Barnes and her mother, Angela Barnes, who had just moved into the building two weeks ago, were awoken shortly before 6 a.m by the shrill fire alarm and the smoke and flames coming from the apartment above.
“I was sleeping and I heard someone yell ‘fire!,’ but I thought nothing of it and went back to sleep,” Shameka Barnes said. “But then I heard the fire alarm and I ran out the door.”
Oakland Park Fire-Rescue spokesman David Rafter said the fire “appears to have started on the second floor at the west end of the apartment complex.”
By 7 a.m., most of the flames were under control, but hot spots were still flaring up on the building’s roof.
Rafter said the state fire marshal’s office will investigate in con- junction with Oakland Park Fire-Rescue. Rafter said up to 16 apartment units at the complex, in the 5200 block of North Dixie Highway, were either destroyed or heavily damaged by the flames and smoke.
Simone McLeod, a teacher at Cresthaven Elementary in Pompano Beach, missed her classes Monday because she was among the evacuees stuck outside.
“Alarms, alarms, I heard alarms,” McLeod said. “I was up already, getting ready to go to work, and the alarm went off and it was loud.”
McLeod said she and her brother Simon barely had time to throw on some clothes.
“We got what we could get and got out,” she said.
“I had a kettle on the stove and I thought [the fire was caused by] me,” McLeod added. “I went and looked at it and said, ’Oh no, it’s not me,’ so I turned it off.”
Fire crews from Oakland Park, Fort Lauderdale, Lauderhill, Pompano Beach and Broward Sheriff Fire-Rescue responded.
The Red Cross was also at the scene offering assistance to the displaced residents.