LAUDERHILL, FLA. (WSVN) - It takes a lot to shut down Lauderhill’s Swap Shop, but Tropical Storm Eta did that to the popular spot on Monday.
The large flea market, at 3291 W. Sunrise Blvd., had to close its doors to customers after the entire property ended up surrounded by floodwater.
“It’s just a small example of what South Florida is dealing with right now,” Lauderhill Fire Rescue Assistant Fire Chief Jeff Levy said. “Their best bet is either let it evaporate, which we know isn’t going to be a quick process, or they’re probably going to have to pump it out, but where they pump it out to, we don’t know.”
7SkyForce HD hovered above the Swap Shop where the property could be seen covered by standing water.
Raul and Maria Pineda were coming in to work early Monday morning but couldn’t make it past the gate.
“We cannot work today because of this surprise close up of this Swap Shop because of this water,” said Raul, a shop owner. “It had been raining last night, and we got shocked. We cannot enter our store. I’ve been here for more than 10 years, and we never see like this kind of water.”
“I have a friend who works here, and he told me, ‘It’s terrible.’ He’s going to lose a lot of shoes,” said Andy Bruce, who came to see the flooding. “I said, ‘Let me pass by to see, though,’ and I see a lot of bad stuff, man.”
Although South Floridians knew of the impending storm, they said it was tough to prepare for the amount of floodwater it brought.
“When sometimes we have a hurricane coming, we pick up the merchandise and take it home, pero now, we never see this rain a lot,” Maria said.
“Nobody go inside. How can I find out what happened inside?” asked one man.
The shop owners said they do not know when they will be allowed to return to their businesses.
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