SURFSIDE, Fla. (AP) — A partial building collapse in a Miami-area neighborhood caused a massive response early Thursday from Miami Dade Fire Rescue, according to a tweet from the department's account.
"Over 80 MDFR units including #TRT (Technical Rescue Teams) are on scene with assistance from municipal fire departments," the tweet said.
Miami Dade Fire Rescue is conducting search and rescue. Authorities had no word yet on casualties, or details of how many people lived in the building.
Police blocked nearby roads, and scores of fire and rescue vehicles, ambulances and police cars swarmed the area.
“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 back side of the building has collapsed."
The collapse sent a cloud of debris through the neighborhood, coating cars up to two blocks away with a light layer of dust.
Photos and video from the scene show that 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 address is 8777 Collins Avenue, according to Surfside police. The sea-view condo development was built in 1981 in the southeast corner of Surfside, on the beach. It had a few two-bedroom units currently on the market, with asking prices of $600,000 to $700,000, police said.
The area is a mix of new and old apartments, houses, condominiums and hotels, with restaurants and stores serving an international combination of residents and tourists. The community provides a stark contrast from bustle and glitz of South Beach with a slower paced neighborhood feel.
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This story has been corrected to show that Sgt. Marian Cruz works for the Surfside Police Department, not Miami Dade Fire Rescue.
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