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Arson displaces 8 people at West Palm Beach apartment complex

Posted at 4:20 AM, May 24, 2017
and last updated 2017-05-24 11:25:16-04

Eight people, including two children, were displaced early Wednesday morning by a fire that police said was intentionally set at a West Palm Beach apartment complex.

The fire occurred at 2:27 a.m. at the Caribbean Villas apartments located at 5865 Caribbean Blvd., near the corner of 45th Street and Haverhill Road.

Battalion Chief Gary Dolins said the fire occurred in the first floor of one unit, causing heavy damage. 

Police Sgt. David Lefont said the fire was intentionally started downstairs, near a staircase inside a pushcart full of clothing and tools.

"Somebody in the home woke me up, and it looked like the fire was coming from where the air conditioner would be, coming through another door there. Flames were coming out, and I just jumped up and woke my kids up and told the other person to run upstairs and get everyone out of the house but it just went so fast," said resident Deanna Robare.  "I'm sad, and I don't want to cry. I'm just really devastated.  I'm upset. I don't know what happened. We work hard for all this, now we're just out of everything. My kids are homeless. It's just overwhelming."

Anyone with information about the fire is asked to call Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County 1-800-458-tips.

No one was hurt in the fire.

The Red Cross is assisting the affected family.