Published: March 9, 2026 at 9:55 AM

Firefighters respond to Fort Lauderdale house fire

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — One person suffered smoke inhalation that required hospitalization after a house fire on Monday in Fort Lauderdale’s Riverland area.

Shortly after 8 a.m., Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue personnel responded to help two people at a house on the 1400 block of Riverland Road.

FLFR Assistant Chief Stuart Ahern said the fire was in the back of the house, going through the roof, and the entire attic.

“As we entered the structure, we were pushing the fire back until we got to the main body of the fire, and extinguished the fire,” Ahern said.

It took firefighters about 30 minutes to extinguish the flame. The smoke was visible from Downtown Fort Lauderdale.

Firefighters were investigating the cause of the fire.

Tips to prevent house fires

Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling or broiling food. Turn off the stove if you leave the kitchen. Keep a fire extinguisher available.“Frayed wires can cause fires”: Replace all worn, old, or damaged appliance cords immediately, and do not run cords under rugs or furniture. If an appliance has a three-prong plug, use it only in a three-slot outlet. Never force it to fit into a two-slot outlet or extension cord. Don’t overload extension cords and outlets.Keep candles at least 12 inches away from flammable materials. Consider using flameless candles.Keep combustible and flammable liquids away from heat sources.Install and test smoke alarms. Clean out the dryer vent regularly.

For more on home fire safety, visit this American Red Cross page.

Related social media

Two people were rescued from the home. One was transported to the hospital and the other evaluated on scene, both for potential smoke inhalation. The fire was extinguished after about 30 minutes. Fire investigators are on scene working to determine the cause.

— Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue (@FLFR411) March 9, 2026

Local 10 News Assignment Editor Carson Merlo contributed to this report.

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Isabella MartinIsabella Martin

Isabella Martin joined the reporting team at WPLG in July 2025.

Andrea TorresAndrea Torres

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.