FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) – A homeowner is speaking out after he says his home went up in flames moments after he turned on the central heat to try to get warm.
Speaking with 7News, Dennis said he quickly smelled smoke and that the alarm went off.
“When I switched from cool to heat, it ignited something instantly. [My wife] was in the kitchen. I thought she was cooking because the kitchen alarm went off,” he said.
But as the minutes went by, he knew that something wasn’t right.
“Within five to seven minutes, the house was really filling up with smoke fast,” said Dennis.
Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue was called and arrived quickly at their home.
Crews cut into the home’s roof, found flames, and extinguished them within 20 minutes.
The damage to the family’s roof was significant.
“Tear up the roof, pulled the ceilings so it’s quite a bit of damage, but it’s just one of those things.”
He said he and his wife consider themselves lucky to have evacuated safely.
“It could’ve been a lot worse,” he said. “Everybody is fine, and it’ll work out. It’s a good thing that I called so quickly.”
Dennis believes the A/C caused the fire, but investigators say the official cause has not been determined.
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