Woman dies in Deerfield Beach duplex fire. Circumstances of fire suspicious, BSO says
A woman was found dead inside a smoldering Deerfield Beach duplex early Friday morning after BSO firefighters extinguished a fire they think may have been deliberately set.
The fire was reported around 4:40 a.m. at the duplex located in the 4300 block of Fourth Avenue, said Claudinne Caro, a Broward Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman.
When deputies and BSO firefighters arrived, the duplex was engulfed in flames, Caro said in a statement. When the fire was out, first responders found 54-year-old Ana De Souza dead inside, Caro said.
Sheriff’s office homicide detectives are investigating the woman’s death, as is the State Fire Marshal, Caro said.
The duplex housed two families, one on each side of the building, said BSO Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Michael Kane.
Fire burning a while before firefighters
Firefighters extinguished the blaze in about 20 minutes, but Kane noted the fire had likely been burning for a significant time before their arrival.
The family living in the apartment next door escaped unharmed. Firefighters rescued their dog, which had been trapped inside, and reunited the pet with the family. However, their apartment sustained extensive smoke damage.
In the fire-damaged apartment, several occupants escaped unharmed, but De Souza died inside the duplex.
Fire set outside: BSO
Kane noted that much of the fire appeared to originate on the exterior of the building, raising questions about its cause.
“There wasn’t any electrical, you know, components that we know were readily recognizable outside…..that we could think ignited that” he said. “ A lot of the fire was on the exterior of the building too. So that, in itself, you know, raises some suspicion.”
The Red Cross is assisting displaced residents from both apartments.
No hospitalizations were reported at the scene, although Kane acknowledged that individuals could have sought medical attention independently after the incident.
