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Teen hospitalized, cat dies after fire erupts inside Fort Lauderdale home

A 16-year-old girl was taken to Broward Health Medical Center Friday morning after a fire erupted inside of a home in Fort Lauderdale, authorities confirmed.

The fire was reported in the 1500 block of Southwest 31st Avenue.

A family of three and their pets were rescued from the home and the teen was taken to the hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation.

Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Stephen Gollan said smoke detectors inside the home saved the family’s lives. But according to a GoFundMe page created to help the family, one of the family’s pet cats died in the fire.

Gollan said the house still had hurricane panels up, which makes it harder to escape from a home during a fire.

The cause of the blaze is under investigation.

According to the GoFundMe page, a man, identified as Jackson Valiente, owns the home and has been a local business owner in the area for 15 years.

“Jackson is an avid animal rescuer and had 4 dogs, 5 cats, and one bird,” the fundraising website stated.

According to the post, half of the home was destroyed in the fire, including the children’s bedrooms.

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