Elderly Woman Dies After Sunny Isles High-Rise Fire

SUNNY ISLES, FL — Nine people in a Sunny Isles high-rise had to be treated for smoke inhalation on Thursday night and one later died after an apartment on the 17th floor burst into flames. Four people were initially taken to the hospital, including two of whom were in critical condition, according to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. The building is part of the Winston Towers complex.

Detective Alvaro Zabaleta of the Miami-Dade Police Department confirmed that an 86-year-old woman later died at Kendall Regional Medical Center but he did not know if she lived in the apartment where the fire started.

Lt. Felipe Lay of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue told Patch on Friday that the fire apparently broke out in the kitchen area of the apartment, which was occupied by two elderly residents. He said that he did not believe the building was equipped with fire sprinklers.

"A total of 42 units responded to this fire. The cause of the fire is still under investigation," added Erika Benitez of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.

She said that the blaze broke out at 5:31 p.m. in the 25-story building, which is just west of the beach along the Intercoastal Waterway. Residents from the 17th floor were not permitted to stay in the building on Thursday night.

"Upon arrival MDFR Firefighters observed flames coming out of the window of one of the units on the 17th floor," Benitez said. "Following high-rise fire protocols, a second alarm fire was called to ensure the safety of all those residents in the building. Once fire rescue personnel made entry, they made their way to the 16th floor where they located a patient in distress."

She said that first responders were able to contain the fire to a single unit on the 17th floor. " Within minutes, the fire was under control," she said.

Lay told Patch that people who live in high-rise buildings should have a plan to get out of the building in the event of fire. Part of that plan should be identifying where the stairwells are located on your floor.

Benitez said that every apartment should also be equipped with working smoke detectors. "Also, during the holidays the chances of electrical fires increase due to overloading of outlets and the use of candles," she said.

Photo and video courtesy Miami-Dade Fire Rescue