A massive condominium in the Miami area partially collapsed during the early morning hours on Thursday. There has been one confirmed dead on the scene with numerous serious casualties. A massive response of over 80 units of first responders is currently on the scene trying to locate any other survivors.
“We’re on the scene so it’s still very active,” said Sgt. Marian Cruz of the Surfside Police Department. “What I can tell you is the building is twelve floors. The entire backside of the building has collapsed.”
Miami Dade Fire Rescue said that they had a tremendous amount of first response units on scene with assistance from municipal fire departments to assist with the ongoing recovery efforts.
MBPD and @MiamiBeachFire are assisting the Town of Surfside at a partial building collapse located at 8777 Collins Avenue in Surfside, Florida. Multiple police and fire agencies from across Miami-Dade are assisting. Please follow @MiamiDadeFire for updated information. pic.twitter.com/8tORIfZfjY
— Miami Beach Police (@MiamiBeachPD) June 24, 2021
“The collapse sent a cloud of debris through the neighborhood, coating cars up to two blocks away with a light layer of dust,” The Associated Press reported. “Photos and video from the scene show the collapse affected half the tower. Piles of rubble and debris surrounded the area just outside the building. The department has yet to say what may have caused the collapse near 88th Street and Collins Avenue.”
“The building, one of these huge buildings, gone, right there beside us, the craziest thing I’ve ever heard in my life,” one witness told local media. “Look at the building, it’s gone.”
Watch: At least one person was killed in the partial collapse of a Surfside high-rise condo building. Read more: https://t.co/s7Nf5Uaedd pic.twitter.com/eDfqit5zxK
— CBS4 Miami (@CBSMiami) June 24, 2021
“I was able to just see probably a third, if not half of the building, literally collapsed,” another witness said. “I just can’t put into words, it looks like a bomb hit, it looks like something in one of these ‘Third World’ countries that just literally collapsed, like a pancake straight down, and there’s just an incredible pile of rubble.”