Miami-Dade Fire Rescue reports at least 35 people have been rescued.
SURFSIDE, Fla. — A high-rise building partially collapsed early Thursday morning in Surfside, killing at least one person.
Scores of fire and rescue teams rushed to the area as part of a massive search and rescue operation. Miami-Dade police say one person has died in the collapse.
Assistant Fire Chief of Operations Ray Jadallah of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue says 55 of the 136 units at the apartment collapsed around 1:30 a.m.
According to Jadallah, at least 35 people have been rescued from the collapse site with two people being pulled from the rubble. Rescue crews are still working to “tunnel in” and located additional survivors.
Video captured at the scene shows a child being pulled out of the rubble following the collapse.
The collapse has caused a major emergency response with multiple fire and police crews on scene at 8777 Collins Ave., including more than 80 Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units, the department says.
The Miami Herald reports the address was the beachfront, 12-story Champlain Towers, a residential condo building built in 1981 with more than 100 units. According to an investment profile, the condos ranged from one-to-four bedroom units, some as large as 4,500 square feet. Units had floor-to-ceiling glass windows, and the building offered beach access.
Photos and videos from the scene show the collapse affected half the tower. The collapse also sent a cloud of debris through the neighborhood, coating cars up to two blocks away with a light layer of dust. Piles of rubble and debris surround the area just outside the building.
Surveillance video obtained by WSVN shows the moment the condo collapsed. The high-rise appears to fall in two phases before sending a plume of dust through the area.
The department has not yet said what may have caused the collapse near 88th Street and Collins Avenue.
Gov. Ron DeSantis responded to the collapse on Twitter Thursday morning thanking those who have responded to the tragic incident.
“Thank you to those who have responded to the tragic building collapse in Surfside. These first responders saved lives,” he wrote.
The governor noted that state personnel are ready to assist in any way they can. Speaking in the Tampa Bay area just before 10 a.m., DeSantis said he would be making his way to Surfside shortly.
Surfside Mayor Charles W. Burkett gave an update on the collapse Thursday morning, adding that 15 family units that came out of the building on their own are working with the red cross now.
“There’s no reason for this building to go down like that. Unless someone literally pulls out the supports from underneath, or it gets washed out, or there’s a sinkhole or something like that,” Burkett said.
The mayor said that there was regular roof work being done on the building.
He added that the building was full, according to the building manager, but it’s still unclear how many people are unaccounted for at the moment.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management says that it is monitoring the building collapse and is standing by to provide assistance.
A family reunification center has been set up at 9301 Collins Ave. in Surfside, Florida.
This is a developing story. Stay with 10 Tampa Bay for updates.
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