Miami

Suspicious Fire Investigated in Northwest Miami-Dade

Authorities are investigating a suspicious fire that damaged a grocery store and the apartments above it in northwest Miami-Dade Friday morning.

Firefighters responded to the building at 5830 Northwest 22nd Avenue just before 3 a.m., Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Todd Garofalo said.

The firefighters went to the rear of the building and smelled gas and found the building burning on the inside and outside, which is unusual, Garofalo said.

It was believed someone was inside the building but firefighters searched and found no one inside, Garofalo said.

The owner of the grocery store, Iyad Awayssa, said he was sleeping when the fire broke out. He managed to run out and call for help.

"I hear like pop,pop,pop, I wake up, I see the fire," he said.

No injuries were reported. The extent of the damage was unknown, but the three apartments above the store suffered smoke damage, Garofalo said.

The apartments were empty at the time of the fire.

An arson investigator was at the scene Friday and will work to determine the cause of the fire, Garofalo said.

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