Propane Tanks Explode During Warehouse Fire In West Park

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Firefighters with several departments had to proceed with caution after a several propane tanks exploded as they battled a warehouse fire at 2121 SW 58th Terrace in West Park.

For witness, Eddie Lopez, shooting cell phone video of the fire at a nearby pallet warehouse quickly became second priority to finding a safe place to stand.

"We started smelling fire, we heard explosions and we look over and there were flames, 30-45 feet," he told CBS4's Natalia Zea.

Click here to watch CBS4's Natalia Zea's report

Propane tanks were exploding near him sending wood pallets airborne.

"It was pretty crazy, pallets were flying like 40- 50 feet high. The flames were just crazy," recalled Lopez.

He and a coworker at Boulevard Towing called 911 and warned them that this was an explosive situation.

When firefighters from BSO Fire Rescue, Miramar, Hollywood and Pembroke Pines Fire Departments arrived four they knew they couldn't put this fire out from inside, due to those propane tanks.

"It could have been very dangerous for firefighters to be inside the building and not have knowledge of that," said Frank Correggio of BSO Fire Rescue.

Instead they used aerial ladder trucks to try to to put the fire out through the roof using a specialized foam to blanket the fuel and flames.

It took more than three and a half hours to put out the fire.

Noel Morazan could only watch as firefighters tried to salvage any part of the family business he has owned for several years.

"You work so hard to get something up to get it done, and suddenly it just comes down," said Morazan with tears in his eyes.

He says he does not have insurance, meaning his family business is now nothing more than ash.

Investigators don't yet know what caused the fire. Morazan says he recently had electrical work done in the warehouse but it had passed inspection last week.

He hopes to one day rebuild his business, after this loss.