Fort Lauderdale firefighters declared a cat and a bearded dragon dead during a house fire that broke out shortly before 10:20 a.m. on the 1300 block of Northwest Third Court. The blaze prompted an emergency response from Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue personnel, who found one person inside the home who was not injured during the incident.
Firefighters successfully rescued a pet tortoise from the burning residence, though the animal required oxygen and water treatment following the rescue. The other four people who live at the home were not inside during the fire, according to Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue personnel. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by authorities.
The incident occurred in a residential area of Fort Lauderdale, adding to a series of property emergencies in Broward County this week. Just one day earlier, an 81-year-old woman’s Fort Lauderdale home was severely damaged when a driver crashed into it. “I seen a big SUV and the side of my house, and I was rushing to try to figure out what was going on ‘cause the police and everyone was here and all I know is the lady was driving really fast and she ran into the side of the house,” said Goldie Pitts, whose home of over 40 years was destroyed in the crash.
The Thursday crash occurred at around 3:15 p.m. in the 2900 block of Northwest 13th Street, according to Broward Sheriff’s Fire Rescue. “The driver was out, and they had her on a stretcher, and they were taking her to the hospital,” Pitts said. Firefighters found a woman inside the vehicle who was bleeding and had a leg injury, and she was transported to Broward Health with non-life-threatening injuries.
The impact from Thursday’s crash tore through part of Pitts’ den and laundry area, where family members say someone is often inside. “People could’ve been dead, I could’ve been in the utility room washing,” Pitts said. “That’s what I would’ve been doing, washing my clothes to go to work tonight.” The person inside the house at the time of the crash was not injured.
“It hurts to know we’re gonna have nowhere to sleep tonight, no home, something you’ve worked for all your life,” Pitts said. Friends, family and neighbors stepped in to board up the damaged area to protect what’s left inside the residence. The American Red Cross will assist the affected residents, while a Broward County inspector will assess the structural integrity of the home.
Both incidents highlight the ongoing emergency response capabilities of Broward County fire rescue services, which have handled multiple property damage cases this week. The investigation into Thursday’s vehicle crash continues, with further details not yet available from authorities. The Friday house fire investigation remains active as Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue personnel work to determine the cause of the blaze that claimed the lives of two pets.