FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) – A man, his son and a dog were safely evacuated from their Fort Lauderdale home after it erupted in flames.<\/p>\n
Fort Lauderdale Police units responded to the scene of the house fire along the 2500 block of Middle River Driver, just before 7:30 a.m. on Friday.<\/p>\n
Crews arrived at the home to encounter heavy flames spewing from the garage\u2019s roof.<\/p>\n
The firefight lasted roughly 40 minutes, according to officials.<\/p>\n
While the blaze posed a severe threat to the home, the damage was minimized since crews were able to contain the fire to the garage.<\/p>\n
Mark Von Zwhel was home with his puppy, Sedona, and 9-year-old son Zander when the fire broke out.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was terrified, but I\u2019m good under pressure,\u201d said Von Zwhel.<\/p>\n
Although the house sustained some smoke damage, its structural integrity doesn\u2019t appear to be affected and it\u2019s likely still habitable.<\/p>\n
Von Zwhel said he\u2019s just relieved he and his family made it out unharmed.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I was in the backroom, and I heard some knocking on the side of the house, but as soon as I walked out the bedroom door, I saw smoke, I grabbed my son, the dog was following me \u2014 she\u2019s right behind me, she isn\u2019t going to leave me \u2014 and we got out of the house, and I called 911,\u201d he said. \u201cI went back in, opened the garage door, because it seemed to be the heat source, and flames are coming out of the garage door, so I shut the door and I got back out of the house. Just left everything behind, and everybody is safe. The best thing to do is just leave.\u201d<\/p>\n
Firefighters gifted Zander a department T-shirt, giving the young boy a reason to smile as his family navigates this unforeseen misfortune.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s awesome! Did one of the firefighters give that to you?\u201d asked 7News reporter Dannielle Garcia.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah,\u201d Zander replied.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you think about that?\u201d she asked. <\/p>\n
\u201cGood,\u201d he replied. <\/p>\n
\u201cI mean, how was the fire for you this morning?\u201d Garcia asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cScary,\u201d the child said. <\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, I\u2019m sure it was scary, but now how are you feeling?\u201d Garcia asked, to which the boy replied \u201cOK,\u201d adding that he lost some valuables in the fire.<\/p>\n
Some of his father\u2019s most prized possessions were damaged in the fire as well. <\/p>\n
\u201cOldsmobile I inherited, a 1969 Oldsmobile, so I\u2019m really worried about that. The other car was my wife\u2019s uncle\u2019s, and he gave me the car, and it reminded me of the car that my sister had when we were younger, a 1972 Cadillac, so I treasure that car, I put all my work into that car, so hopefully I can get it fixed,\u201d said Von Zwhel.<\/p>\n
On the brighter side, Von Zwhel said, he\u2019s grateful for the fire department\u2019s quick response.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fire department came right away. There were a tremendous amount of trucks and everybody lined up, and then they just said, \u2018This is what you have to do, but take it slow,’\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s a very emotional moment, but I appreciate the Fort Lauderdale Fire Department and the City of Fort Lauderdale. I mean, the services were unbelievable; they saved my house.\u201d<\/p>\n
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, though the fire department said it\u2019s likely a lithium battery that caught fire.<\/p>\n
Copyright 2025 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.<\/p>\n
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