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Officials: No One Killed In Massive Miami Fire

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Fire officials confirmed Saturday a person did not die in a massive Miami fire which destroyed a home and church.

Officials told CBS4 one person had died in the fire on Friday but what units on scene thought to be a deceased person was not.

Miami-Fire
May 30, 2014: A fire at NW 14 Terrace destroyed a home and damaged a church. (Source: Gaby Fleischman, CBS4)

Fire crews began removing falling roof debris from the area where a victim was believed to be and discovered it was not a body, according to Miami Fire officials who added that items inside the room, mixed with collapsed debris making it look like a severely burned body.

Miami-Fire-2
May 30, 2014: Firefighters worked to extinguish a fire on NW 14 Terrace. (Source: Gaby Fleischman, CBS4)

Firefighters worked for several hours Friday night to put out a massive fire at 219 NW 14 Terrace.

As flames tore through the home in Overtown, Rodney Jackson raced toward them desperate to get to his 91-year-old grandfather -- whose house was burning – outside.

"The only thing I could think about was him in the house and him perishing in the fire like that," said Jackson.

With the fire growing, Jackson said fire crews and police blocked the family's way.

'He tried to stop us from going in, I guess for our own safety but we weren't thinking about that all we was thinking about was grandfather that was it," Jackson added.

Thankfully, Jackson found out his grandfather made it out alive. Jackson said two women who live nearby helped him get out of the home safely.

"He's alright, he just turned 91 know what I'm saying and thank God that they got him out," Jackson added.

The cause of the fire is not yet determined.

Although his family lost a lot, the home his grandfather lived in for much of his life and a family business,  Jackson said he's thankful.

"Granddaddy's fine the house can be replaced you see the business the ice cream business and everything all this can be replaced but granddaddy is fine and well," Jackson said.

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