Photo: AFP
One person was killed and a massive search and rescue effort is underway for survivors following the partial collapse of a 12-story condominium building in Surfside.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue officials responded to a collapse that sent a cloud of debris through the neighborhood, coating cars up to two blocks away with a light layer of dust. Footage from the scene showed a large section of the sea-view side of the building collapsed into a pile of rubble.
Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett confirmed one person was killed in the collapse, but it was unknown exactly how many people were injured or were inside the building at the time of the collapse. Burkett said at least 10 people were treated at the scene.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue reported 35 people were rescued from the structure, and two people were pulled from the rubble after about 55 apartment units collapsed.
"The building has literally pancaked, it has gone down, and I mean there's just feet in between stories where there were 10 feet," Burkett said. "That is heartbreaking because it doesn't mean to me that we're gonna be as successful as we would want to be to find people alive."
The search effort is ongoing.