FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Thick dark smoke was billowing from a home in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday.
It was located along the 3100 block of Northwest 69th Court.
“I was sleeping and my grandma was awake with my grandfather and they were screaming about a fire,” said resident William Marley.
It was that screaming that possible saved Marley’s life as he woke up to an inferno.
“I don’t even know how to describe it,” he said. “Just massive fire, you could feel the heat coming off of it.”
He said the fire appears to have started on an awning out back.
Crews with Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue were able to get the blaze under control and out within 30 minutes.
“There were actually two homes on fire,” said Frank Guzman with Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue. ”The fire has started in the rear of one and spread to the neighboring house.”
Video obtained by Local 10 News shows the path of destruction, with smoke still rising from the charred wood and the ground covered in soot.
“When we arrived on scene, there were lots of complications,” said Guzman. “Propane tanks that were burning, activity exploding.”
Between the two homes, eleven people are impacted by the fire.
At least one of the homes was gutted, with extensive damage to both, inside and out.
Thankfully, no injuries were reported, and family pets were also safe and sound.
Officials said the cause of the fire remains under investigation.