Over 60 people displaced after fire burns through Fort Lauderdale recovery center
FORT LAUDERDALE — Over 60 people were displaced after a fire burned up a Fort Lauderdale recovery center early Monday morning.
Despite the number of people impacted, Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Chief Stephen Gollan told CBS News Miami that no one was injured, and that he was thankful it wasn't worse.
"To have absolutely no injuries with that many people in a building with that much fire is awesome," he said.
Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue was called out to the scene at 465 SW 20th Ave around 2:30 a.m.
"The heat was intense and it's right next to my house and we were terrified," neighbor Stacy Maler told CBS News Miami. "Our house was going to catch fire."
Maler, who lives next door, said she was fast asleep with her daughter when the fire started, adding that she heard firefighters "pounding" on her doors and windows to warn them about the fast-moving flames. The firefighters told her the roof of the burning building was about the cave in and that they needed to leave their home immediately, Maler said.
"We were terrified we were actually literally falling down, trying to get our stuff together to get out of the house," Maler added.
Gollan said crews worked tirelessly to rescue the dozens of people inside and put out the flames.
"When you see that much fire, often there's panicking and stuff that takes place and that results in quick decisions, which sometimes results in accidents taking place," he said.
Gollan said it took about an hour to put out the fire, which destroyed about a third of the building.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.