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High-rise condo partially collapses near Miami Beach
A huge rescue operation is under way in Miami-Dade County, Florida, after a 12-storey residential building partially collapsed
A multi-story condo in South Florida has partially collapsed, prompting a massive response from law enforcement early Thursday morning. Authorities say search-and-rescue efforts are underway.
The address of the building is 8777 Collins Ave., in the community of Surfside, Florida, which is about five miles north of Miami Beach. According to the Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser, the site is listed as Champlain Towers South Condominiums, constructed in 1981.
The collapse is estimated to have occurred just after 1 a.m. local time. A man vacationing with his family and staying in a hotel across the street told Fox News it felt like an earthquake. Others described hearing a loud boom at the time of the collapse.
Miami Dade Fire Rescue is conducting search and rescue. At least 80 units have reportedly responded to the scene. It remains unclear if there were any fatalities or if residents were trapped in the rubble. However, WSVN has reported that officials believe there may be multiple fatalities and several people remain in the rubble.
Police blocked nearby roads, and scores of fire and rescue vehicles, ambulances and police cars swarmed the area.