MIAMI – Three people have been displaced after a home next door to them in Miami collapsed overnight, sending debris through the roof of their home.
The incident occurred around 3 a.m. in the area of Northwest 18th Avenue and Third Street.
“It just sounded, I wanna say, like a big bomb sound, a little bit,” one nearby resident said.
According to Miami Fire Rescue officials, some animals were also displaced due to the collapse.
First responders said the home that collapsed was abandoned.
“The roof was initially removed, so that obviously made this very vulnerable to the weather conditions we experienced last night,” MDFR Capt. Ignatius Carroll said.
Crews worked well into the morning, clearing debris and removing a propane tank.
There was immediate concern over a possible person inside the home at the time it collapsed. MDFR says it’s believed that a homeless person often stayed in the abandoned home.
“We see a shopping cart with items in it, as well as a bicycle that we understand is probably used by this person, so those are indicators of concern,” Carroll said.
K9s were seen searching the area Thursday morning, but luckily, no injuries were reported.
A family inside the home directly behind the collapsed property was evacuated after part of the structure fell onto their home.
“I was in the middle of sleeping and then the loud noise, and when they go open the back room -- one of the bedrooms -- the ceiling was caved in and my younger brother was in there, so my father took him out,” one resident told Local 10 News.
Thankfully, everyone made it out safe.
A duplex directly next to the property was also evacuated out of an abundance of caution. As part of the unstable structure was still standing, crews ultimately decided to take it down to avoid further risk.
(Videos below courtesy of Miami Fire Rescue)