HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – A Hollywood homeowner says he is lucky to be alive after a fire engulfed his property early Monday morning.
The blaze, which Hollywood Fire Rescue said began outside the front door of a home on Thomas Street near North 25th Avenue, quickly spread to a nearby truck and then to the roof shortly after 6 a.m.
Despite their efforts to extinguish the fire, HFR said significant damage was left behind, including the charred remains of the truck and parts of the home.
The homeowner, who managed to escape with his pet cat, said it was his feline companion who alerted him about the fire.
While investigators work to determine the cause of the fire, the homeowner is grappling with the aftermath.
Authorities said the home has been deemed unsafe, leaving him in search of a new place to stay.
His greatest concern, however, is locating his cat, who he said went missing after the fire.
Fire rescue crews have not disclosed how the fire started.