A tragic house fire in Weston yesterday evening led to the death of a family’s dog and left a firefighter with an injured knee, as per the officials from Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue. Reporting from the scene, WSVN detailed that the fire, which occurred in the 1600 block of Winterberry Lane, started approximately at 9 p.m. and resulted in heavy black smoke and flames emanating from the two-story dwelling’s second floor.
The residence was empty at the time of the blaze save for the dog, firefighters entered the premises to confront flames on both levels and conducted an extensive search for any inhabitants, during their search they discovered the family pet deceased. Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Michael Kane explained to Local 10 News that while the fire appeared to have started on the lower level, the thorough search and firefighting efforts required a sizable response team of around 35 firefighters, and the fire was subsequently brought under control within 30 minutes.
No civilians were reportedly harmed during the incident, however, one firefighter was taken to a nearby hospital after sustaining a knee injury in the line of duty, confirmed both WSVN and Local 10 News. In the aftermath of the fire, the Red Cross has stepped in to offer assistance to the family of four who lived at the address.
Investigators from the State Fire Marshal’s office are currently working to determine the causes behind the tragic event, both news outlets reported the ongoing investigation.