A family has been forced out of their northwest Miami-Dade home after a space heater sparked a fire that engulfed the house in flames.
Relatives say a 92-year-old woman and her 70-year-old daughter were inside the home on Northwest 77th Street.
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WATCH HERE“Just a lot of devastation and brokenness," said Tawshana Brown, great-granddaughter of homeowner. "This is the only house I know.”
According to the family, the fire broke out just after 10 a.m. Sunday after one of the women connected a space heater to a power strip.
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The fire started in a bedroom at the back of the home.
"A mobile space heater you can buy at your local Walmart or Family Dollar," Brown said. "I don't trust it.”
Erika Benitez with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue warned residents to take the time to inspect and prepare your heating equipment before using it.
"Keep the portable heating units at least three feet away from anything that can possibly burn and avoid the use of extension cords with space heaters," Benitez said.
The American Red Cross is working to contact the family. They say they lost everything.
