Overloaded Outlet To Blame For Deadly Miami House Fire

MIAMI (CBS4) - Fire Investigators say too many appliances plugged into one outlet caused an electrical fire that trapped and killed a woman in her Miami home.

Miami Fire Lt. Iggy Carroll said the woman had several appliances plugged into a 6-plug adapter which was plugged into one outlet by the couch.

Anguished relatives rushed beyond the police tape Tuesday night toward the charred home, at NW 51st Street and 15th Avenue, demanding answers about what happened to the beloved mother and grandmother 65-year-old Monica Joachim.

"I'm just waiting to see what they say about what really happened inside there," said Archie Young, the woman's son.

Joachim's son, ArchieYoung, said he lived in the home with his mother, but he wasn't inside at the time of the fire.

"I'm just sorry.  Sorry it happened and I wish there was something more I could have done," said neighbor Elestine McKinney Allen.

McKinney Allen said when she saw the smoke she called 9-1-1 and then rushed over to help.

"But the glass started flying everywhere, I couldn't get to her and she put her arms up from the door because it was hot," said McKinney Allen. "There were flames coming from her arms, she fell and when she fell she burned. I stood there and I saw her burn.

"You could hear her screaming. It was just a big large fire," said Ezekiel Wallace. "Guys were running around trying to open up the windows and doors but with the bars there wasn't anything they could do about it."

Miami Fire Rescue officials said the windows are covered with wire mesh from the inside and the door was blocked by a metal gate.

"It makes you think about these bars," said McKinney Allen, "They are safe in some ways and in some ways they are not."

According to Miami Fire Rescue Lt. Ignatius Carroll, a Miami police officer did everything he could to try to get to Joachim before being overcome by smoke.

Young said there was an issue with the circuit breaker at the home that was recently repaired, but wouldn't speculate further on a possible cause.