1 dead in fire at Palm Lakes Mobile Home Park in NW Miami-Dade

At least one person is dead, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue confirmed, after a fire consumed a trailer in a northwest Miami-Dade mobile home park Thursday night.

The fire happened at the Palm Lakes Mobile Home Park on Northwest 27th Avenue at around 10 p.m. Dozens of firefighters battled the flames.

Fire rescue officials said there were possibly two victims. The one who died used a wheelchair and was declared dead at the scene.

Officials have not released further information on the condition of the other person.

According to witness Steven Carruyo, the victims are a couple and the deceased is a woman.

Carruyo said he knew both victims, and while he and others tried to help get them out, it was too late.

“The fire started going off, a lot of my friends ran up to the trailer, I tried to open it up, I couldn’t,” he said. “My friend… said he couldn’t even open the gate or nothing… That’s when the fire department came and tried to save them, but it was too late at that time.”

Carruyo said “a lot of people are suffering,” because the victims are “good people, older people.”

The injured man was something of a father-figure to Carruyo.

“I’ve known him since I was like 16 years old… He would always give me advice and lift me up,” he said. “He always helps out the neighbors, the homeless people out in the street, and he’s a very outgoing person.”

As for the cause of the fire, Carruyo said he can only speculate.

“Maybe a lot of tools and a lot of stuff, extension cords connected… I kept telling him to disconnect some stuff, but he’s a little hardheaded. You know, he likes to use a lot of technology,” he said.

Authorities are investigating.

Back in June, residents at Palm Lakes rallied to protest against being evicted from their homes.

Residents were told they had until July 22 to leave due to fire safety regulations and sewage issues, and because the property was changing.