6 HOMES EVACUATED IN FIRE
Pembroke Pines firefighters battle a three-alarm blaze Tuesday on Palm Tree Lane. Crews arrived at the scene about 3:15 a.m. to find smoke and flames coming from one of the townhomes. Fire crews were able to put out the blaze initially, but it flared up again and kept them busy until early afternoon. Six townhomes were evacuated because of the damage and one cat died of smoke inhalation.
PEMBROKE PINES — A stubborn early morning fire in Pembroke Pines nearly destroyed a block of townhomes and killed a cat inside.
Pembroke Pines fire crews arrived at 8915 Palm Tree Lane about 3:15 a.m. to find smoke and flames coming from one of the townhomes. The fire and smoke spread to neighboring units through attics and damaged them, according to a news release.
Fire crews were able to put out the blaze initially, but it flared up again and kept them busy until early afternoon.
“Girls were screaming because they had cats and dogs inside,” said Oscar Espinosa, 41, who has lived in the complex for about three years. “I hope they saved them.”
One cat died of smoke inhalation while another was taken to a local animal hospital, said a news release from Pembroke Pines Police.
“There were terrible flames through the roof,” Espinosa said. “They broke all the windows. “It was bad, a bad night.” Firefighters returned to the scene about 8:30 a.m. when more smoke was seen coming from the building and the fire rekindled. The roof started to weaken while firefighters were inside fighting the blaze, and the crews tackled the flames from the outside.
They used a ladder truck and two lines on the ground to pour water on the fire that smoldered on the roof of the unit which had burned earlier.
Flames were seen jumping from the roof as residents who had been evacuated watched from the edge of the lake behind their homes.
Hollywood Fire Rescue and Miramar Fire Rescue joined in the firefighting efforts mid-morning.
Police said the fire’s cause didn’t appear suspicious and that it looked like it was sparked by an electrical problem.
Several Florida Power and Light Co. crews were also in the area to restore power that was turned off during the three-alarm blaze.
Out of eight townhomes, six were damaged by fire, water or smoke and families were displaced. Two parents took their children to the hospital to evaluate them for smoke inhalation, the fire department said. They were stable at the time.