MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Residents in an apartment building in Miami Beach have been forced to evacuate after it was deemed unsafe, Wednesday.

At 2 p.m., they were told that they had until 7 p.m. to grab their things and get out until repairs are made.

“We’re all in a scramble to figure out what to do,” said Jose Maldonado. “It’s not the first time that some craziness that has affected everyone in the building has happened, so I think people are just generally anxious, upset, displaced.”

According to city officials, an Unsafe Structure notice was placed on the building located at 700 Euclid Ave. due to a partial roof collapse in an area where the building’s electrical systems merge.

“The ceiling collapsed, and there was a lot of water coming in and buckets around the windows,” said Melanny Aoas.

As a result, Florida Power & Light has shut down power to the building.

“We’re stressed,” said Francis Zavala. “We have a dog, and we have food that we just bought, and it’s gonna expire. We don’t know where to leave it.”

It remains unclear what exactly caused the partial roof collapse of the four-story, 54-unit building, but residents tell 7News that water damage may have been caused by rain that hit the area last week.

Eddy Trotter says issues with the building have been ongoing for months. “It’s a little irritating because the problem has been persistent for the last six months,” he said. “They’ve known about issues with the plumbing in the building and drainage and the standpipe, and the fire department has known about it too.”

Just two units were physically impacted by the collapse. Both units have been condemned.

“I had no time to pack,” said Aoas. “I have a pet. I’m a professional trying to get some work done, and I come home, and I got to leave in two hours, and I have no idea where to go.”

The city is working with the building’s owners who have agreed to provide residents with seven days in a hotel.

Residents tell 7News they have been told that they would need to stay away from the building for at least one week while repairs are made.

The PR company who represents the property owner sent out a statement that reads in part, “The safety of our residents is our top priority, and we are fully aligned with this decision. We offered hotel accommodations to all residents, finalized bookings for all who needed them and provided instructions for checking in, and we will continue to work with them as the situation evolves.”

“I know some people are pretty upset,” said Maldonado, “but following with things that happened at Surfside, I guess I’d rather hear a bunch of angry neighbors than a bunch of sad families, so I appreciate the property management doing what they can to get us out.”

The city said there were no injuries.

No one’s allowed inside the building. Residents were told they will only be out for seven days.

Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join our Newsletter for the latest news right to your inbox