A man of Cuban origin suffered first and second degree burns on 30% of his body during a fire that occurred in a home in the Little Havana neighborhood, in the city of Miami.
According to local media America TeVéthe incident occurred around 12:30 am this Thursday, May 2, at 3691 16th Street, near Northwest 37th Avenue.
The affected Cuban was identified as Rogel Escalona, 65 years old, who is currently being treated in serious condition at the Jackson Memorial Hospital.
Miami firefighter spokesman Pete Sánchez indicated that teams went to a single-story home that Thursday and observed smoke coming out of the house.
The fire turned out to be stronger than expected, as firefighters had to call for reinforcements before they could access the interior.
“When we arrived at the scene we found a family who told us they still had a family member inside the house and immediately the firefighters entered and removed this victim, who was on the floor in the back of the house in critical condition.” said the official during a press conference.
The victim’s brother, identified as Pedro Escalona, indicated that a short circuit is what would have caused the fire.
“I arrived here at 2:30 am, there was a short in the lamp that was next to him, he was asleep and the room and the house caught fire, the neighbor noticed and helped him get out when the firefighters arrived,” declared.
According to the aforementioned local media, the house housed four people, all members of the same family.
In the end, firefighters managed to extinguish the flames before they spread to other properties.
During the events, two police officers tried to enter the place to help the Cuban, but were affected by inhaling the smoke. Similarly, a firefighter also needed medical attention after the rescue, although he was discharged a few hours later.
“They tried to help the family, but there was a lot of smoke and they were evaluated and treated and taken to Jackson Hospital for smoke inhalation. Thank God they are stable and we are very proud of their work and the support they give to the community,” Sánchez added.
After the incident, the house was declared uninhabitable by the city of Miami, so the family is receiving help from the Red Cross while they find a new home.
At the moment, authorities continue to investigate the causes of the fire.
#Cuban #suffers #burns #fire #Havana
