Broward Sheriffs Office

Multiple Cars Destroyed After Fire at Lauderdale Lakes Apartment Complex

An overnight fire outside of a Lauderdale Lakes complex destroyed multiple vehicles and has investigators looking into how the blaze started.

Crews responded to the scene near Northwest 26th Street and 39th Way shortly before 3 a.m. Monday after reports that five cars were on fire.

"I go home and went to sleep at 1:30, so then the neighbors said a little smoke came out right here," said Philippe Kepleo, who owned the car that first caught fire.

BSO Fire Rescue was able to put out all the flames, but all the vehicles were heavily damaged and some completely destroyed.

The fire started from Kepleo's 2010 Mercedes before quickly spreading. Neighbors were in shock when they saw the scene.

"I call everybody. 'What's going on?' My car was close to the car that was burning," said Marc Dorcenat, who saw his car involved in the fire.

One of those who tried to save their car was Calisicia Hayles. A nursing student who was studying for her exams well into the night, she came out to her car completely charred. Calisicia says her car was a graduation gift and, even though losing her car was emotional, things could have been worse.

“I don't know what's going to happen, but as long as there's life there's hope so,” Hayes said. “I'm looking on the brighter side I'm still here in still alive. It could have been much worse.”

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