Miami Lakes Barber Shop Fire Considered Possibly "Suspicious"
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MIAMI LAKES (CBSMiami) -- The owner of a barber shop that was burned after a fire broke out overnight said he feels the fire is "suspicious" and fire officials believe it may be a possibility.
"We have requested an investigator due to the possible suspicious origin of the fire," said Miami-Dade Fire Chief Felipe Osaba.
The fire broke out at the business located near the NW 183rd block of NW 67th Ave.
According to the owner, Orlando Hernandez, he got a call around 4 a.m. about the fire and headed over.
"At approximately 4:30 a.m., Miami-Dade Fire received a call from a security guard on scene of a shopping center, reporting a fire inside one of the businesses," said Chief Osaba.
Click here to watch Joan Murray's report.
Miami-Dade Fire officials were able to put out the blaze quickly so as not to put the surrounding businesses at risk.
"We found some fire inside one of the businesses. We did a quick knockdown of the fire to make sure that the two surrounding businesses were not affected," said Osaba. "The first unit arrived four minutes after the call was received."
Hernandez said he has no enemies and is not sure who would have done it.
"I got caught from a hater. They threw a rock and set the building on fire.I don't have any enemies," said Hernandez.
Hernandez is dealing with charred equipment burnt walls and a scorched ceiling. He and colleagues are trying to make the repairs so they can reopen quickly.
"This is a setback but we'll come back stronger to serve the community," said Hernandez who has owned the business since 2004.
Anyone with information is urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471- TIPS.
