Miami Apartment Fire Evacuates 52 Units, Displaces at Least 15

More than 100 firefighters responded to an overnight fire at a five-story apartment building in Miami's Flagami neighborhood on Tuesday, Oct. 27. Flames stayed in one apartment, but smoke and water spread through the building, and a damaged elevator is complicating life for residents who are older or have limited mobility.

What happened

The fire started around 2:30 a.m. in a fourth-floor unit at Blue Lakes Apartments, near Northwest 7th Street and Northwest 52nd Avenue, NBC 6 South Florida reported. Miami Fire Rescue listed the address as 5275 NW 7th St. When crews arrived, one fourth-floor apartment was burning. The blaze was upgraded to two alarms and put out in roughly 30 to 40 minutes, according to NBC 6, with WSVN reporting more than 100 firefighters on scene.

WSVN said heavy smoke and fire filled the fourth floor and hallway, leaving firefighters with very low visibility. Miami Fire Rescue spokesperson Pete Sanchez said crews faced "difficulty and challenges." Firefighters evacuated the building, including fifth-floor residents who use wheelchairs or are bed-bound and could not leave on their own.

Injuries and the displacement count

Two elderly residents were taken to the hospital with minor smoke inhalation, NBC 6 reported. WSVN said they were an elderly couple from the apartment where the fire began and were expected to be fine; families told the station no one was seriously hurt.

The reports disagree on how many people are displaced. NBC 6's story text said at least 15 people, while its headline cited 28. WSVN gave a breakdown that explains the gap: 15 people in eight fourth-floor units who cannot return, plus other residents who cannot manage the stairs while the elevator is out, for 28 in total. All 52 units were evacuated, and residents of the fourth floor cannot go back for now. WSVN reported the damaged elevator is expected to be out of service for about a week.

Help for residents

WSVN reported that the Red Cross has helped displaced residents for the time being and is assisting others in the building, and that building management found housing for those displaced. Miami Mayor Eileen Higgins and City Commissioner Miguel Gabela were at the scene. Gabela said the city would provide food and gift cards and help residents replace lost documents.

Cause

NBC 6 reported that officials had not released a possible cause. Miami Fire Rescue has not publicly said what started the fire, and we are not speculating.

What this means for renters

This fire shows how an outage can hurt people who were never near the flames. An elevator that is out for a week can effectively strand older tenants and anyone who uses a wheelchair on upper floors. If that is you or a neighbor, these steps can help:

• Tell management in writing that you cannot use stairs and ask what interim accommodation is available, such as a ground-floor unit or temporary housing. Landlords generally have obligations to tenants with disabilities, and local fair-housing or legal-aid groups can explain them.
• Register with the fire department or local emergency management, where programs exist, so responders know where residents who need evacuation help live.
• Keep a go-bag by the door with medications, copies of IDs, chargers and a list of contacts, since residents may be out of the building on short notice.
• Ask the Red Cross and the city about replacing documents, medication and food. Keep every receipt for loss-of-use claims.
• Check your renters insurance. Loss-of-use coverage can pay for hotel or temporary housing, and smoke and water damage to belongings is often covered even if your unit did not burn. See our renters insurance guide.

We will update this story when officials identify a cause or announce when the elevator returns to service.