Loved ones baffled by deadly Miami Gardens house fire, community mourns loss of beloved couple
Loved ones said they are still searching for answers after a devastating house fire in Miami Gardens claimed the lives of a couple and their two miniature poodles early Wednesday morning.
Rhonda Spencer, a 65-year-old supervisor with the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department and her husband of 20 years, Timothy Fordham, died in the fire that engulfed their home near Hard Rock Stadium at Northwest 20th Avenue and 185th Terrace around 3:30 a.m. The couple's beloved dogs, a male and female poodle aged 4 and 5, also perished in the flames.
The sole survivor, their nephew Jamonjamin Williams, said the ceiling collapsed on him during the fire. He recounted that a neighbor told him he was found on the roof, though he's unsure how he got there. Williams said he called out for his aunt and uncle but could not find them in the chaos.
Witness accounts add to mystery
One neighbor told CBS News Miami that he reported hearing gunshots to Miami Gardens police before the blaze erupted.
CBS News Miami reached out to the department for comment but has not yet received a response.
Roberts said neighbors also described a series of loud, strange noises just before the fire.
"Neighbors heard like a pop, then they heard a first explosion, and after that explosion they heard another pop and a big explosion," she said. "We don't know what that pop was."
Investigators with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said the cause of the fire is still unknown. Florida City Gas confirmed the home did not have gas service.
A sister's grief and a legacy of kindness
CBS News Miami spoke with Rhonda Spencer's sister, Levaris Roberts, who expressed her deep sorrow and confusion over the incident.
"We are just trying to find out what happened and what caused it," Roberts said. "We don't know what caused it. We don't know how the house blew up. There are investigators trying to figure that out."
Roberts remembered her sister as a woman of deep compassion and generosity.
"That's my sister," she said. "She helped everybody. This girl, if she saw somebody who needed help, she would give them help. She would go to church all day and stay in church. She never let our mom and dad stay in a nursing home because she wanted to take care of them at home. I want answers as to what happened."
Investigation continues amid rubble
By Thursday afternoon, investigators from both Miami Gardens Police and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue had returned to the scene. Yellow crime scene tape still surrounded the charred remains of the home.
From the air, CBS News Miami's drone showed the destruction: the house reduced to rubble, resembling a war zone.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
34 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Bass enacts curfew for parts of downtown L.A. to stem chaotic protests
Mayor Karen Bass has announced a curfew will be put into effect for one square mile of downtown Los Angeles following four nights of sporadically chaotic protests during which the LAPD arrested more than 150 people. The curfew will extend from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. It will apply to the area of downtown from the 5 Freeway to the 110 Freeway and from the 10 Freeway to where the 110 Freeway and the 5 Freeway merge, Bass said. The mayor made the announcement Tuesday evening. She had suggested earlier in the day that she would consider a curfew if violence broke out again. She said the curfew would not be necessary citywide, as the protests have been largely centered in the downtown area. "I wanted to let the city know that I have declared a local emergency and issued a curfew for downtown Los Angeles to stop the vandalism, to stop the looting," said Bass at an evening news conference. Bass said she expected the curfew to last for several days. The decision on when to end it will be made in consultation with law enforcement and elected leaders, she said. The curfew does not apply to individuals living within the designated area, individuals experiencing homelessness, credentialed media or public safety and emergency personnel, said Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell. The curfew comes as arrests have increased every night since protests began in response to the Trump administration's immigration crackdown in Southern California. No one was arrested by Los Angeles police on Friday night, but 27 were arrested Saturday, 40 were arrested Sunday, and 114 were arrested Monday, according to Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell. Bass and other elected officials in Los Angeles have repeatedly asked protesters to remain nonviolent and refrain from spray-painting graffiti or otherwise vandalizing or burglarizing businesses. But each morning, new, often explicit, graffiti has adorned buildings across downtown. Protests were growing again on Tuesday afternoon, with people spilling onto the 101 Freeway downtown, temporarily blocking traffic in both directions on the busy roadway. People squeezed through holes in fences that were blocking the freeway on-ramp near Commercial Street. The crowd was met with lines of CHP officers who used batons to push them back. Some protesters lobbed water bottles. At least one protester was detained by CHP. Protesters previously shut down the 101 Freeway for several hours on Sunday, during which time the CHP made 19 arrests, according to agency spokesperson Officer Alec Pereyda. By 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, freeway traffic appeared to be moving freely in the northbound lanes and slowly in the southbound lanes. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Fox News
39 minutes ago
- Fox News
Kim Kardashian shares intimate bikini photos from inside her glass-encased wardrobe
Kim Kardashian sizzled in bikini tops as she gave her fans an inside glimpse inside her closet. On Sunday, the 44-year-old reality star took to Instagram to upload a slideshow of photos in which she was seen showing off several different ensembles from her wardrobe. "Love finding closet pics in my phone," Kardashian wrote in the caption of her post, which she shared with her 356 million followers. In one photo, the SKIMS founder posed in a white triangle bikini top with a matching bottom underneath a long semi-sheer white skirt. Kardashian was pictured standing next to a glass-encased room inside her massive closet with a mirror and shelves filled with clothing and handbags behind her. Another snap featured Kardashian modeling a black string bikini top with a pair of black high-waisted mid-thigh shapewear shorts. The socialite wore her long brown hair down around her shoulders and donned a pair of black square sunglasses as she posed in front of a rack of black clothing. In one image, Kardashian left little to the imagination as she modeled a tiny black bandeau top with black leggings. She completed her monochromatic look with a pair of black shades and sandals. In another photo, Kardashian donned a low-cut top under a brown cargo jacket and a long tan-colored skirt and brown pumps as she posed while sitting in a chair. The "American Horror Story" actress's carousel included other photos in which she sported athleisure and sheer evening gowns. Last month, Kardashian took the stand in the high-profile Paris trial of the group of men who were accused of robbing her in 2016. On May 13, Kardashian gave testimony in a Paris courtroom during which she recounted being held at gunpoint while the intruders stole millions of dollars worth of jewelry. The entrepreneur recalled that robbery marked what she thought would be the last day of her life. "I was certain that was the moment that he was going to rape me," she said during her testimony. "I absolutely did think I was going to die." Kardashian, who thanked the French authorities for "allowing me to share my truth," told the court she recalled screaming to the robbers at the time of the intrusion, "I have babies." The mother of four, who was accompanied by her mom, Kris Jenner, testified against a group known as the "grandpa robbers," due to their ages. More than 17 people were arrested as suspects in connection to the case after investigators found trace amounts of DNA on plastic bands tied around Kardashian's wrists. The case was finally ordered to go on trial in 2021 with 12 people charged. During the trial, 10 people were tried. On May 23, eight people, including the ringleader, were found guilty, while two were acquitted. However, the court did not impose any additional time behind bars for their roles in the crime. The chief judge, David De Pas, said the defendants' ages — six are in their 60s and 70s — and their health issues weighed on the court's decision to impose sentences that he said "aren't very severe." The prison sentences ranged from three to eight years, but none of those found guilty were imprisoned and all walked out free due to time already served in pretrial detention. Kardashian, who wasn't present for the verdict, said in a statement issued afterward that she was "deeply grateful to the French authorities for pursuing justice in this case." "The crime was the most terrifying experience of my life, leaving a lasting impact on me and my family. While I'll never forget what happened, I believe in the power of growth and accountability and pray for healing for all. I remain committed to advocating for justice, and promoting a fair legal system," said the TV personality, who is working to become a lawyer.
Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Macklemore's home robbed with children inside, nanny doused with bear spray, police say
Macklemore's home in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle was the site of a home invasion as his nanny was maced with bear spray and his three children were present, according to law enforcement. A police report from June 7 shared with USA TODAY said shortly before 1 a.m., a nanny for three kids was sprayed with bear mace before leading two suspects to a master bedroom where they rummaged through drawers, cabinets, and "raided" a closet full of clothing, jewelry and shoes. The mostly redacted police report features the unredacted last name Davis, the legal name of Macklemore's wife, Tricia Davis, and refers to a homeowner as a "high-profile individual." Macklemore and Davis share three children: Sloane, Colette and Hugo. Macklemore clarifies remark made at pro-Palestine concert in Seattle: 'Sometimes I slip up' The report does not state if Macklemore, whose legal name is Benjamin Haggerty, was home at the time. The police report also said the nanny "believed the crime may have been politically motivated for some reason." USA TODAY reached out to reps for Macklemore for comment. In recent months, Macklemore has made headlines for pro-Palestine posts and was removed from a Las Vegas festival performance lineup for the inaugural Neon City Festival in Las Vegas after he referred to America with an expletive during the 'Palestine Will Live Forever' event in his hometown of Seattle. The nanny described her own body language as "twitchy" to the police and said the alleged suspects were aware she still had a phone on her, so one of the two men threw her on the ground and put a boot on her ankle before moving it to the back of her neck. He also took her phone. After the nanny began to scream, she said the duo got her up and pinned her against a wall and held her mouth shut before she bit onto his hand hard, which then caused him to let go. Police say she fled through the bathroom and escaped from the house, knocking on numerous nearby homes before one homeowner opened the door and allowed her to call the police inside. Contributing: Jonathan Limehouse This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Macklemore's home robbed with children and nanny inside, police say
