Navy veteran survives fire that destroyed his home near Miami Shores
"The alarm saved me," said Agustin Ayala, who was nearly asleep in bed Monday afternoon when he was jolted awake by the sound of smoke detectors inside his home in the 3300 block of NW 101st Street.
Ayala said he followed the smoke into his kitchen, where he never cooks. He found heavy smoke behind one of his appliances.
"I pulled forward my refrigerator and it (was) pure fire and smoke," he said.
Ayala said he ran out a side door, shut off the power at his utility box and called for help.
As Miami-Dade Fire Rescue crews rushed in and quickly brought the flames under control, Ayala hoped his most valuable possession—his home—might be saved.
Long before his Navy service, Ayala grew up in the house, which he said his father passed down to him. Now in his 60s, he had recently installed shutters to protect the property from hurricanes, never expecting fire would be the greater threat.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue sent dozens of firefighters to the scene. Although they stopped the fire within minutes, Ayala said the damage was overwhelming.
"Oh man, I feel bad," he said. "I feel bad because I lost my home. Now I don't got nowhere to go. Yeah, I got family but you know that's something else."
Fire investigators have not yet determined the cause, but Ayala believes an electrical issue sparked the blaze.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Bloomberg
31 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
Grand Canyon Wildfire Still Burning
Aerial footage captured on July 14th shows the impact of the Dragon Bravo Fire in the Grand Canyon. A lighting strike started the fire on July 4. More than 100,000 acres and a historic lodge have been burned. Arizona's governor and members of the state's congressional delegation called for an investigation as the Park Service immediately came under scrutiny after the lodge and other historic buildings were destroyed. (Source: Bloomberg)
CNN
31 minutes ago
- CNN
A British hiker needed rescuing from the Italian Dolomites. He's now facing a $16,000 fine
A British hiker who had to be airlifted to safety after he ignored signs and crossed warning barriers in the Italian Dolomites is paying a high price for his rescue. The 60-year-old, whose name has not been made public, was given a bill for €14,225 ($16,400) to pay for the use of two rescue helicopters and more than a dozen specialized rescuers and support staff when he needed help on Thursday, according to the Veneto Alpine and Speleological Rescue (CNSAS). A week earlier, two Belgian hikers in the same area were handed a far smaller bill for their rescue because they are European Union citizens. The United Kingdom left the EU in 2020. More than 80 people died hiking the Italian Alps and Dolomites between June 21 and July 23, according to the CNSAS, making it the deadliest hiking season this century. Five people remain unaccounted for. Rescue calls have also risen by 20% over last year, which led to the closure of some of the most treacherous routes around Cortina and San Vito di Cadore, where the British hiker was rescued, Maurizio Dellantonio, chief of CNSAS, said at the weekend. 'A 60-year-old English hiker, who had set out that morning from Passo Tre Croci, called to say he was on the Berti via ferrata and that rocks were falling from above,' the CNSAS warned on its social media on Thursday evening, noting that the man did not have equipment to give his precise coordinates. 'Once he had reconstructed his theoretical position, he was told not to move from his sheltered spot and to wait for help to arrive, as the mountain was currently hidden by clouds. To decide on the recovery strategy, the hiker's exact position was needed, so they had to wait for the clouds to clear. When the clouds cleared, the San Vito di Cadore Alpine Rescue team unfortunately discovered that the hiker was right in the center of the landslide, at an altitude of 2,400 meters (nearly 7,900 feet).' After the rescue, first responders with the CNSAS working with Italy's Civil Protection decided to close more trails. 'The operation was made necessary due to hikers neglecting existing signage, which was evidently insufficient to stop people, either due to inattention or an underestimation of the risk,' CNSAS said in a Facebook post. The post shows images of existing signage that clearly says 'closed' in English, Italian and German. 'This measure is intended to protect the safety of those in transit, as well as the rescuers themselves, both the helicopter rescue crews and the teams on foot,' the post continued. Dellantonio said the man passed at least four signs and had to crawl around a barrier and was urged by other hikers at the signposts to turn around and head back with them. The dangerous and deadly conditions across the European Alps this year is blamed on extreme weather, with unpredicted storms sweeping through causing landslides, flash flooding and blizzard-like conditions. Some of the recent rescued people have been hospitalized for hypothermia. Local authorities are warning people to be prepared if they do travel to the area to climb. 'What happened (with the British hiker) warrants some reflection,' Giuseppe Dal Ben, the commissioner of the Ulss 1 health authority in the Dolomites, told reporters at the weekend. 'Helicopters are essential for time-sensitive operations in harsh environments. Precisely for this reason, it is important that they are not used as taxis, endangering not only those who are providing the assistance but those who actually need it.'
CBS News
31 minutes ago
- CBS News
From homelessness to hope: Downtown Miami leader inspires with second chances
In this week's Miami Proud, CBS News Miami shines the spotlight on a member of the Downtown Development Authority of Miami. The superintendent of the Enhancement Team is leveraging his lived experience to pave the way for brighter futures. Once homeless himself, Kevin Rudolph Garrett now leads a 60-member beautification team for the DDA of Miami, transforming not only city streets but also the lives of those who've faced homelessness and hardship and offering a powerful example of redemption through service. From improving street signs to cleaning sidewalks, the Downtown Enhancement Team, under Garrett's leadership, is dedicated to beautifying South Florida. "When I started, I knew about cutting grass, but I didn't know about forming a team. Getting people to work under me and with me and one of the things I do now is I love helping people," Garrett shared. He leads a diverse team eager to take the next step in their lives and acquire new skills, many of whom have faced unemployment for extended periods. This initiative is part of a second-chance program in partnership with Camillus House. "These are formerly homeless individuals, men and women. We are a team of 60 individuals who come to us to perform the work of the enhancement team," explained Liliana Collazo of the Downtown Development Authority of Miami. Garrett has a unique connection with the team, rooted in his own experiences. "A lot of times, when I'm on the street, I see people that I used to sleep next to when I was homeless and they say Kev, you're doing good; you came a long way and I tell them, I say, man, listen, if I do it, you see me; if I do it, you can do it," Garrett reflected. "Kevin understands those individuals; Kevin understands where each and every person has come from. When they join the team, he's able to be a positive influence, a positive person to show our team members that a future is possible," Collazo added. Proof that change is possible Those who know him say Garrett exemplifies through his actions that a brighter future is possible through hard work, honesty and dedication. For more information, visit Miami DDA Quality of Life Send us your story at MiamiProud@
