North Miami

Man Saves Grandmother, But Mother Dies in Fire at North Miami Home

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A woman was killed in a fire that engulfed a North Miami home early Tuesday, family members said.

Neighbors said they heard a loud explosion and saw the home on Northwest 120th Terrace on fire around 3:30 a.m.

A man who said he lived at the home with his mother and elderly grandmother said he first tried to save the grandmother and was able to get her out safely.

He said he tried to go back in to save his mother but the flames were too strong. He said she didn't make it.

North Miami Police officials confirmed a 54-year-old woman died as a result of the fire. Her identity wasn't released, and police said it was unclear if her death was as a result of smoke inhalation or burns.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue officials gave few details, other than that they transported one person to the hospital from the scene.

NBC 6's Carolina Peguero has the latest information from the scene where at least one person was killed and several others inside at the time were hospitalized.

One neighbor said she smelled smoke and seconds later heard a big explosion. Another neighbor said it may have been caused by a gas tank.

The residents said fire rescue crews worked quickly to contain and put out the flames.

"There is fire, fire, fire and when I look out the window I saw it and there was a big boom and I don't know what happened inside, if there was a gas tank or not," one resident said.

Another resident said she heard the son trying to get to his mother.

"I heard the noise, the young guy was yelling 'my mom, my mom!'" Beathise Lafosse said. "I don't know what's going on, I open the window, I see the fire."

Officials said it appears that the cause of the fire was electrical in nature, but it remains under investigation.

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