Lauderdale Lakes Family Needs Help After Being Displaced By Christmas Eve Fire

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LAUDERDALE LAKES (CBSMiami) – A Lauderdale Lakes family is homeless and in desperate need of help after a fire swept through their rented condo just before Christmas.

"I am destroyed and distraught," said Tony Rolle, standing in the vacant unit at NW 31st Ave. and 40th St. on Monday

Rolle was asleep when firefighters pulled him from the burning building in the early morning of Christmas Eve.

His fiancée, Betty Evans, her 4 and 5-year-old grandchildren who they are raising, and a nephew who was visiting, all made it out safely

But the fire caused parts of the ceiling to collapse – leaving the family homeless.

"I never want to see this to happen to anybody," said Rolle fighting back tears.

The Broward Sheriff's Fire Rescue Department said workers fixing the roof accidentally left some hot materials on top.  The tar ignited, causing the fire.

The Red Cross provided three nights in a hotel, but now Rolle and his family have nowhere to go and desperately need a place to stay.

Rolle said the crisis has been especially hard on the two small grandkids

"I made a promise Christmas Day we'd ride bikes. It never happened," he said.

The bikes, Christmas presents and what could be salvaged from their rental unit are now packed in a storage unit.

Rolle lost his job a year ago and says this latest setback is even worse.

"If anyone can, please give us a helping hand," he said.

If you can make a donation to help the family, please visit neighbors4neighbors.org. There you can click on "other" and say you would like to help Rolle and his family get back on their feet after this devastating fire.