Officials are blaming a central heating system for a house fire in Sunrise that severely damaged a house and sent a family scrambling for safety early Thursday morning.
Thomas Dibernardo, Fire Chief for the City of Sunrise, says they received a call just after 7:30 a.m. that the house, located at 12714 Northwest 13th St. in Sunrise, was on fire.
When units arrived, they discovered smoke and flames in the vents, and later determined that the fire originated from an upstairs heater. Officials say the house was severely damaged by smoke and flames.
Sunrise fire crews were able to quickly get the fire under control, and units from the Red Cross were on hand to assist the family.
Craig Curry, the owner of the house, tells NBC 6 that he noticed a problem with the home's central heating system when he tested it last night.
"We found that the heater was putting out a funny smell," Curry said. "It smelled like something was burning." Curry turned off the heater.
The following morning, Curry turned the heater back on and noticed the same smell, but left the heating unit on as he left to take his grandson to school.
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Within 30 minutes, Curry says he received a call from his daughter that the house was on fire.
Curry's wife, daughter, her husband and two other grandchildren immediately left the house.
"They grabbed what they could and ran out," Curry said.
Dibernardo says what Curry did last night was the right thing to do, and that they're fortunate that the family was awake and alert to notice that the house was on fire.
"During the onset of cold weather, homeowners should run their heaters while they are awake. Watch it and make sure it is running properly," Dibernardo said.
He also added that homeowners should check to make sure their smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are functioning properly.
Despite severe damage to his home, Curry told NBC 6 that he's just thankful that his family is safe.
"We're just thankful we didn't leave [the heater] on last night, because the same thing could have happened overnight," he said.
Curry's house is not a total loss, but fire officials say it has been deemed an unsafe structure due to severe damage from the fire. Curry and his family will be assisted by the Red Cross with temporary housing.
For heating safety tips, visit the National Fire Protection Association.
