911 calls released of Margate house fire that killed boy, dog

A boy who died in a house fire on Thursday afternoon in Margate has been identified as Gianni Jackson , a 13-year-old student at Margate Middle School.

The boy and two of his adult relatives were inside the home in the 5000 block of Southwest Sixth Street about 4:30 p.m. when the home became engulfed in flames. The adults escaped, but the boy was dead by the time firefighters found him inside, said Lisa Huriash, a spokesperson for the City of Margate. One dog also died and another was rescued.

Gianni was described as “a beautiful soul with Down syndrome who touched the hearts of everyone who knew him,” according to a GoFundMe online fundraiser organized by a neighbor.

One witness told first responders that people were breaking the home’s windows in an attempt to get inside. In one cal