One killed in Florida City trailer fire

A 74-year-old Florida City man died in the hospital after his trailer was destroyed by a fire Thursday afternoon.

The fire happened shortly before 2 p.m. at the Florida City Campsite and RV Park at 601 NW Third Ave.

According to a Florida City Police Department report, when the officer arrived the trailer was on fire and a man with burns on his legs and arms was sprawled on his back in the grass.

A witness told the officer he smelled smoke and saw flames, so he punched open the door. The man was “just standing there” with burns all over his body. The witness and other neighbors dragged the man outside and placed him on his back.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue medics and firefighters arrived shortly after the police officer did. According to the report, they began first aid on the man and put out the fire.

Medics took the man to Kendall Regional Medical Center, where he died, according to the report.

Miami-Dade County police homicide detectives are investigating the death. A Miami-Dade police spokesman said Friday afternoon that the man’s next of kin had not yet been notified.

The trailer park is the subject of continued litigation between residents and the Florida City government. In March, the city gave the roughly 70 residents who live there less than a week to pack their belongings and leave.

The land, which the city owns, is under contract to be sold to a developer. Soon after reading about the residents’ plight in the Miami Herald, an anonymous donor hired a law firm to represent them. The lawyers immediately sued the city, and a judge issued an injunction prohibiting the city from carrying out the evictions until further notice.