Margate House Fire: Child Dead, Cause Under Investigation

A boy died in the residential fire on Southwest 6th Street in Margate, and investigators have not yet confirmed what sparked the blaze, according to news reports and fire officials.

According to CBS News Miami, the child was 12 years old and the family confirmed his death. CBS News Miami and other outlets also reported that a family dog died in the fire. WSVN reported that neighbors said the boy was 13 and had special needs, but that detail was relayed by neighbors and not officially confirmed.

Firefighters arrived to find the back of the home engulfed in flames, and NBC 6 said the fire began in the rear of the house. The home was heavily damaged, with reporting describing it as badly charred or destroyed, and officials were still assessing whether it could be salvaged or was a total loss.

The fire also knocked out power to nearby homes. CBS News Miami reported outages for 13 homes, while WSVN reported downed power lines in the area. Reporting said two adult relatives escaped, and one was later taken to a local hospital, according to NBC 6 footage and transcript.

Emergency crews from Margate and surrounding agencies responded to the scene, with the size of the response reflecting an active structure-fire rescue operation and a continuing search for answers, according to the coverage. No suspect information has been reported, and officials have not publicly identified a cause.

Dispatch records show 103 similar structure-fire incidents in Margate over the past six months.

Officials say the investigation remains open as damage assessments continue and investigators work to determine how the fire started.

Day.News will continue to update this story as officials release more information.

Related: Structure Fire Draws Emergency Response to 5531 SW 6th Street in Margate