By Janelle Foskett
MIAMI — Security footage captured the moment a beachfront condo tower collapsed in the Miami-area town of Surfside early Thursday morning, killing at least one and trapping residents in the rubble.
Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett said during a news conference that the building was substantially full, occupancy-wise.
“The building is literally pancaked,” Burkett said. “That is heartbreaking because it doesn’t mean to me that we are going to be as successful as we wanted to be in finding people alive.”
Additionally, dispatch audio highlights the dramatic initial calls and response to the scene.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue is conducting search and rescue operations, and said in a tweet that more than 80 units were on scene with assistance from municipal fire departments.
Read FireRescue1’s ongoing coverage of this incident.