Firefighter hurt in Miami Gardens storage unit blaze. Tenants say building had problems
Over three dozen first responders rushed to put out a three-alarm fire at a Miami Gardens storage facility Saturday morning. Tenants told the Miami Herald their belongings were destroyed before the fire could be put out.
Around 10 a.m., Miami-Dade Fire Rescue sent at least 10 fire trucks, over 35 first responders, to the Extra Space Storage facility at 17531 NW Second Avenue.
Fire crews arrived to find heavy smoke billowing from the facility and promptly began to fight the blaze with multiple fire hoses, fire rescue said. Firefighters climbed up to the roof and cut openings for ventilation.
“Upon arrival, they had heavy fire inside because of its location and multi-levels inside the structure, along with a lot of content, it was very difficult to get to the fire,” MDFR Operations Division Chief Michael Eng said.
As of 12:15 p.m., the fire was under control. However, fire crews are still monitoring hot spots at the facility. One firefighter suffered minor injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital.
“Ultimately, we were able to put the fire out and save the rest of the building,” Eng said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. The facility’s staff declined to comment.
Saturday afternoon, Extra Space Storage sent an email to tenants of the facility expressing sympathy and announcing access to the property is restricted.
“We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and the potential impact this causes,” the email read. “Your patience and understanding are appreciated as we work through this incident.”
‘I can’t get it back’
Around 10 a.m., Perry Hilton arrived at the storage facility to put away some items when he noticed smoke coming from the back of the building.
“I immediately went to the front and got the lady who was working there, and she came back,” Hilton told the Herald. “I grabbed a fire extinguisher and tried to put out the fire myself, but the smoke was too strong. So I left the building and called the fire department.”
Hilton, who had only been using the facility for less than a month, says he and his wife, Cynthia Turner, lost everything. Turner, who works cleaning pools, lost all her work equipment as well as her late mother’s jewelry. The couple’s expensive clothing and designer bags were also destroyed.
“I spent so much money, and now I can’t get it back,” Turner said.
Brandon Jones, a long-time tenant of three years, expressed concerns about the building’s safety. He’s still unsure how much of his belongings he might have lost.
“There’s no smoke detectors, no sprinkler system,” Jones said. “By trade, I’m an electrician [and] the electrical system is old in my opinion.”
According to Miami-Dade’s Code Enforcement database, the storage facility received a violation from the fire department in January for not meeting minimum fire safety standards. Further details on the violation were unavailable, but the facility was back in compliance by May.
Other tenants anxiously waited outside of the facility as firefighters battled the blaze. They were hungry for answers and desperate to know what had been destroyed.
Jones called Hilton a hero for being the first one to call first responders.
“If it wasn’t for him, man, this whole thing would be a lot worse,” Jones said.
