LAUDERHILL, Fla. – Authorities are investigating a suspicious fire in Lauderhill that affected both a home and two vehicles.
The incident unfolded around 5 a.m. Monday in the 5800 block of Northwest 22nd Street.
According to Lauderhill police Lt. Michael Santiago, the residents inside the home were awakened by the smell of smoke and realized that two of the cars in their driveway were engulfed in flames.
Santiago said the home also sustained some damage from the fire.
Six people were inside the house at the time, but no one was injured, he said.
One of the residents, Matilda Clark told Local 10 News reporter Madeleine Wright that she’s devastated that someone torched her 2018 Toyota Corolla while she, her daughter, her grandchildren and her great-grandchild were all inside sleeping.
“Everybody had to get out the house, so no shoes on, no nothing, just run out the house as we were,” Clark said.
Firefighters and police roped off her car with crime scene tape after the flames were extinguished.
“It was really scary. I can’t go to work. I have no car,” Clark said. “That’s my livelihood. It’s just gone down the drain.”
The fire also damaged Clark’s neighbor’s Kia Sedona.
Instead of being at her job as a housekeeper Monday, Clark was forced to sit at home talking to her insurance company and trying to figure out who did this and why.
“I just hope they catch whoever did this,” she said.
Clark suspects her daughter’s ex-boyfriend is the culprit, but police have not confirmed whether he’s a suspect.
“My daughter and her boyfriend had a serious breakup, so that’s the problem,” she said.
Santiago confirmed that the fire appears to be suspicious and said police and fire investigators are working to determine the cause.
Anyone with further information is asked to call the Lauderhill Police Department at 954-497-4700.