Family Escapes, Dog Killed In NW Dade House Fire

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - One person was injured and a dog died after a house went up in flames in northwest Miami-Dade on Sunday.

The fire started around 3:30 a.m. along East Saint Andrews Drive at the County Club of Miami Estates gated community.

The owner of the home told CBS 4 over the phone she is devastated. She not only lost her home but her family of four is also grieving the loss of a valued member of the family, their pet.

Firefighters said this was not an easy battle for them.

"The fire was so extensive that it took approximately four attack lines in place to get the fire under control within an hour and a half," Battalion Chief Ray Jadallah said.

Jadallah describes the four bed-three baths home as a total loss. That's after roughly 30 firefighters tried to save whatever they could during a two-alarm fire.

"Over the course of decades, they're building this home for their family and now you're looking to start from scratch again. My heart goes out to the family," Jadallah said.

Firefighters have not told us what may have sparked flames or where the fire started. But investigators are working to determine if a dry Christmas tree helped spread the flames quickly.

"They did have a Christmas tree that was still up. We are taking a look into the possibility of the Christmas tree was knocked over by one of the dogs," Jadallah said.

It's unclear if the smoke detectors worked but firefighters also recommend families make sure they have working smoke detectors.