NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - A massive five-alarm fire continues to burn at a warehouse near the Miami-Dade/Broward county line and the Florida Turnpike. Still, as the firefight enters a second day, crews have made significant progress.
A view from above captured the massive operation underway into Friday night in Northwest Miami-Dade, between Miramar and Miami Gardens, as close to 200 firefighters worked to put out the flames that caused the more than 300,000-square-foot warehouse to collapse.
First responders in radio transmissions underscored the dangers that crews face.
“Anyone that’s remotely in this smoke, even a little bit, needs to be on air. This is heavily chemical on the west side with corrosives. We don’t need anybody having that in their lungs,” said a first responder.
The firefight at the multi-use warehouse, which began late Thursday morning, has been grueling and dangerous. Firefighters have dropped thousands of gallons of water across the site.
On Friday afternoon, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Assistant Fire Chief Jason Richard provided an update.
“Currently, we have about 100 firefighters on scene with our operations and support,” he said.
Units with Miami-Dade and Miramar fire rescue arrived at the scene, near Northwest 47th Avenue and 207th Drive, just after 11 a.m. on Thursday to find the structure fully engulfed in flames.
“We encountered many challenges when arriving here, including the size of this structure,” said MDFR Assistant Fire Chief Jason Fernandez. “It being a warehouse, that’s over 300,000 square feet, access was limited.”
7Skyforce hovered above the inferno as crews conducted a defensive attack from the air and ground. The billowing black smoke could be seen from miles away.
“What you’re looking at right now is a warehouse complex on the west side of Red Road, just south of County Line,” said 7Skyforce’s Ralph Rayburn.
The smoky conditions stopped people in their tracks.
“I live right across the street; it’s crazy,” said area resident Tessa Rambeau.
Employees inside the facility said they tried to smother the flames before safely escaping the burning building.
“I think it was a problem with the electrical stuff on the roof,” said an employee who identified himself as Alejandro.
“I saw [other employees] running in and out, so when I ran out to the office on the right, there was a fire right by the artificial turf,” said employee Nesia Ridley.
“I walked to the fire to stop it. That was too fast,” said Alejandro.
As of late Friday night, the structure remained blanketed in smoke as crews continued to attack the blaze from all directions.
Although progress has been made, officials said, crews still have a long way to go as the fire readies to enter its third day.
“It’s difficult to completely extinguish because of the size and the amount of material inside the building that’s been burning,” said Richard.
The massive flames ripped through the property, which spans several dozen acres. The facility is owned by Global Warehouse Solutions and includes a fulfillment center that contained flammable items, which have undoubtedly fueled the fire.
“From firewood to AstroTurf, from shampoo to deodorant, so there isn’t one specific item that’s in there,” said MDFR Chief Ray Jadallah.
The metal walls of the warehouse gave way under the intense heat.
“There’s still a lot of material that’s underneath the roof that has not burned, and we continue trying to extinguish the fire,” said Jadallah.
No one was injured, fire officials said.
A wide swath of southwestern Broward County — including Miramar, Pembroke Pines, Southwest Ranches, and Weston — is experiencing reduced air quality due to the fire. Officials advise residents with respiratory issues or allergies to limit their outdoor exposure and take appropriate precautions.
“People who do have some underlying lung problems– asthma, [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease] — those are people who are going to be more susceptible to the irritation and the smell,” said Dr. Adam Rubin, medical director at Memorial Regional Hospital’s Emergency Department.
The employees who worked at the warehouse returned on Friday to see if their cars made it through the fire. They are not sure what comes next for them.
“For my family here, we’re all one. We’re a team, we’ve always been a team, and to see that there is still smoke, it’s still heartbreaking,” said Ridley. “In the blink of an eye, anything can happen.”
“Up next is just to wait and see what happens,” said an employee.
On Friday afternoon, fire crews also worked on hotspots throughout the area.
Officials said it is too early to determine the cause of the fire.
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