Family escapes house fire safely

PLANTATION, Fla. (WSVN) -- A South Florida family has been displaced after their home went up in flames.

The blaze broke out just after 10 p.m. Sunday at a home along Palm Tree Road and East Acre Drive.

Witnesses said they saw 40-foot flames shooting up from the home in Plantation. "Smoke was going through the left side of the house," said Clayton Marschka, "it was pretty big."

The family who lives in the house was home when the fire broke out, including young children who left strollers and toys behind.

Monday morning, they were back at the home to survey the damage.

Fire damage investigators said the family is going to have to live elsewhere for now. "Police arrived on scene and they said they had heavy fire in the back of the house," said Plantation Fire Batt. Chief Joel Gordon. "We then arrived shortly there after. We did find the back of the home engulfed in fire. It had already gone through the attic. We made an aggressive attack on it. We were able to knock it down fairly quickly."

Neighbors said it's a reminder of just how fast something tragic can happen. "My mom said that the kid was laughing earlier in the day," said Marschka.

Everyone inside managed to make it out safely.

The family said the fire was caused by a an electrical fire that started near a refrigerator at the back of the home.

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