FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A fire erupted early Thursday morning in a fifth-story apartment unit in Fort Lauderdale.
The fire was reported just after 3:30 a.m. at the Marina Bay Apartments, located at 2610 Marina Bay Drive.
Video shows flames completely engulfing the balcony area of one unit.
Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue officials confirmed that about 40 firefighters from 16 fire rescue units responded to the scene.
It took them about 20 minutes to extinguish the fire.
According to officials, the fire broke out on the balcony of the apartment unit in question.
“Fort Lauderdale police officers from I-95 could see the flames burning from the highway, so we knew that we had a confirmed working fire,” FLFR spokesman Frank Guzman said. “One resident and one pet cat were in the unit. The resident evacuated. The pet cat was rescued by firefighters and is OK.”
No injuries were reported.
Officials confirmed the apartment unit where the fire originated sustained serious damage while some neighboring units sustained smoke and water damage.
Some residents have now been displaced from their apartments and the American Red Cross is working to assist them.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.