MIAMI (WSVN) - Miami business owners are speaking out after a part of a roof collapsed onto a building and a section of a major roadway.
Surveillance video from a business across the street captured the moments part of a roof and building overhang collapsed onto the 3100 block of Northwest 7th Avenue Wednesday evening, causing road closures for hours.
Miami Police and the City of Miami Fire Rescue responded, shutting down Northwest Seventh Avenue as crews worked through the night to clear debris from the street and secure the area.
No one was injured, and a family who needed to be evacuated at the time was allowed to return to their home.
Ricardo Pita told 7News he was forced to shut down his carpentry business after an overhang collapsed onto the building.
He says that although the building is old, there weren’t any leaks in the roof, and the ceiling had even been recently repaired. He said he believes the rain played a role in the incident, as well as the fragility of the wooden support beams.
Richard said all of his tools are still inside the now taped-off building.
“There are a few sets of cabinets, my saws, everything,” he told 7News in Spanish.
David Soto, who works across the street, said he saw the aftermath, ran outside, and checked his surveillance cameras.
“A roaring of something, just a big bang. Something that wasn’t supposed to be happening at the time,” he said.
A close call for passing residents and northbound drivers.
“I turn around and see the building on the floor. There was a bus coming by on Seventh Avenue, and then there was a man walking, and as soon as the man passed by, the roof just collapsed,” Soto said. “As soon as it collapsed, a car was coming by, too, and he just swerved out of the way. He missed it by milliseconds.”
Miami City Commissioner Miguel Gabela said this near disastrous moment is an example of why inspections and upkeep of structures are so important.
“This building had an unsafe structure problem already. They’d been cited,” he said.
The roadways have since reopened.
According to fire officials, the building may be demolished within a week.
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