House fire in Lauderhill leaves family homeless, cat dies – NBC 6 South Florida

A family was forced to flee their home after a house fire in Lauderhill left them with just seconds to save themselves and their cats.

Eileen Worst said when the fire broke out in her granddaughter’s room, her first reaction was to try to save her home.

“I tried to get a bucket from the garage and run to the tub to fill it with water and splash it on it, but then it was just too hot and I couldn’t get in, I couldn’t see anything,” Worst said. “It went up quickly.”

Worst and her two grandchildren ran outside. Her forehead and some of her hair were burned.

“I’m not feeling well, my vision is blurry,” said Worst.

Worst told NBC6 that her granddaughter had to go to the hospital for evaluation. Two of the family’s cats made it, but one did not survive.

“I’m just stressed out and in shock right now. I don’t really know how to feel,” Summer Carroll said. “I went into the kitchen, left it unattended for two minutes and my brother was screaming ‘smoke, fire’ and we’re all panicking and wanting to call 911.”

When firefighters arrived, fire and smoke were coming out of the windows and doors. Worst said her granddaughter lit an incense candle, which she believes caused the fire.

“It was so hot it burned, and I just hope it didn’t destroy everything in my grandson’s room,” Worst added.

Worst noted that although they may lose everything and have also lost a cat, they are grateful that they have not lost each other.

“Oh, I’m alive, my grandson is alive, my granddaughter is alive,” Worst said.