Residents forced out after Miami Beach building suffers partial roof collapse
MIAMI – Some Miami Beach residents are looking for a new place to stay Wednesday night after their building suffered a partial roof collapse.
Locked out of her South Beach building, Laura Lorenzo is freeing up some of her emotions.
"I want to kill something, someone, yes," said a frustrated Lorenzo.
Lorenzo was the last tenant to leave the 4-story, 54-unit AnNell. She was given only a few hours to grab all her belongings and go.
This is just the latest of at least 10 buildings in South Florida forced to shut down since the Surfside building collapse.
A partial ceiling collapse in at least two units, right where the buildings electrical system is housed, is to blame.
"They told me there's a problem with the water and the light," Lorenzo said.
"They told us about the storm from last maybe did damage to the building," said Lautaro Vema, who helped Lorenzo move out. "We're waiting for whole resolution to see what actually happened."
All Vema knows for sure is he has to help his friend move.
"They told us to move their stuff to downtown. We work here in South Beach, so complicated to move our stuff."
Lorenzo said she's going to a hotel downtown Wednesday night. But since she works on the beach, she's not even sure how long she can stay there.
According to a Miami Beach ordinance, the landlord must pay for a hotel for its displaced residents.
Because of the water damage near the electrical system, FPL has also shut off all the power.