Electric scooter battery explosion causes Miami duplex fire that killed dog, displaced residents

An early morning blaze at a duplex in Miami killed a dog and left three residents displaced on Monday, according to authorities.

Miami Fire Rescue officials said crews responded to reports of a house fire located 3057 Southwest 18th Street around 5:40 a.m. 

On arrival, crews found a two-story side-by-side residential duplex with smoke and flames coming from the front door.

Within minutes the fire was under control and contained to the unit of origin, officials said.  

One of the residents spoke to NBC6 and said she and her mom live in the affected building. Her brother lives in the duplex next door, but there was no damage to his property, just heavy smoke.

She told NBC6 the fire started because the batteries in an electric scooter exploded on the first floor and within seconds the fire and smoke started.

She added that two people were visiting her at the time, her friend and aunt, who also evacuated the property safely.

According to the resident, the first and second floor are uninhabitable.

While the residents had self-evacuated at the time of the fire, officials said a dog was found dead on the second-floor from smoke inhalation. 

According to the resident, they managed to save one of their two dogs, but their other dog ran back into the building and they weren't able to save it.

During operations, a firefighter sustained a steam burn to the face. He was evaluated on the scene, but did not require treatment or transport. 

The Miami Fire Investigation Unit was requested to determine the cause of the fire.