A 36-year-old man suffered third-degree burns over 90% of his body when a fire tore through his Miami apartment Tuesday evening, possibly sparked by a cigarette near a gas can. The fire broke out around 7 p.m. inside a first-floor unit of a two-story building along the 1300 block of Northwest 40th Street. A Miami police officer rushed inside and rescued the victim, who was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center in critical condition.
“Our preliminary investigation leads us to believe that the patient had a gas can in his room and may have lit a cigarette, causing a combustion/explosion,” Lt. Pete Sanchez, a Miami Fire Rescue spokesperson, wrote in an email Wednesday. Miami Fire Rescue crews took about 20 minutes to extinguish the blaze and also rescued a dog from the building. Three adults were displaced and received assistance from the American Red Cross.
Neighbor Saleha Azzuzi witnessed the dramatic scene unfold and feared for the victim’s life. “It was scary, so scary. I was crying,” she said. Azzuzi told reporters that she didn’t think the victim was going to make it out alive. The intensity of the fire and the victim’s condition left a lasting impression on those who witnessed the emergency response.
Daniel Rivera, who manages the apartment building, came by Wednesday morning to assess the damage from the overnight blaze. “I think we could have lost the whole unit,” he said. Rivera noted the fire’s location and credited quick action for preventing more extensive damage. “The fire was in that room and a person was in front able to go call fire rescue,” he said.
The incident prompted safety warnings from Miami Fire Rescue officials about proper storage of flammable materials in residential settings. “This incident is an example of what can go wrong,” Sanchez wrote. He urged the public not to store gas cans inside their homes and to avoid using lighters or matches near fumes. The combination of gasoline vapors and an ignition source created the dangerous conditions that led to the explosion and fire.
The investigation into the exact cause of the fire remains ongoing, according to Sanchez. Miami Fire Rescue continues to examine the scene and gather evidence to determine the precise sequence of events that led to the combustion. The victim’s condition at Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center has not been updated since he was admitted in critical condition with burns covering 90% of his body.