HIALEAH, Fla. – A woman and her 1-year-old baby escaped from a house fire Wednesday in Hialeah.
Neighbors were briefly evacuated from their homes after the fire erupted at the efficiency behind a home in Hialeah, authorities said.
The fire was reported in the area of East 17th Street and First Avenue.
According to Hialeah Fire Rescue officials, crews arrived at the scene to find smoke and flames coming from the secondary structure behind the main house.
The fire was contained within 30 minutes, but crews remained at the scene for a few hours to make sure nothing flared up.
No one was inside the home when firefighters arrived, authorities said.
"It was fully involved. Units were able to get in, control the flames. Luckily, there was no one inside the house," Hialeah Fire Rescue Division Chief David Rodriguez said. "We did call a second alarm for this fire. There was a lot of clutter in the area. It was in the yard of the house. There were a lot of houses around it, so we are protecting the exposures and making sure nothing else catches fire."
Ereina Rojas, who lives in the efficiency with her 1-year-old baby, told Local 10 News that she lost everything she owns, including important documents.
A witness said Rojas woke up after smelling smoke and ran out with her child and dog.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. Authorities said the efficiency is a total loss.
Still, Rojas said she is grateful that she and her baby are alive.