250 evacuated from Broward apartment building. It could be days before they can go back home.
Hundreds of Broward County residents were rushed out of their apartments as thousands of gallons of water seeped into their homes from a rooftop pool Friday night.
Just before 5 p.m. Friday, Broward Sheriff’s Fire Rescue responded to The Place at Dania Point, 180 East Dania Beach Blvd., to reports of a rooftop swimming pool leaking into several apartments.
The leaking pool affected 144 apartments and forced 250 residents to be evacuated. There were no injuries and multiple roads had to be closed.
About 2,000 or more gallons of water had already leaked when firefighters got to the pool and shut down the building’s plumbing, said Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Michael B. Kane.
Firefighters had to pump out the remaining water due to a possibility that the leak could continue, Kane said.
Authorities were allowing residents, 30 at a time, to get animals and medicine from their homes, reported Miami Herald news partner CBS 4.
An investigation suggested a pipe burst in the pump room near the swimming pool, City of Dania Beach officials said, which caused major flooding through out the building.
Resident Don Dishes told Local 10, “I was shocked, like what the heck is this? You know, it was just crazy man. You don’t expect water to come down (in your home).”
The city also said, “The building is not safe for residents until power can be safely restored, which could take days.”
Some local Dania Beach hotels, which include the Morrison, Motel 6, Stay Inn, Sleep Inn and Wyndham, are offering discounted rates to affected evacuees, the city said. A Publix is also offering snacks and water.
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported that the the building’s manager, Ricky Harris, sent residents an email at 1:28 a.m. Saturday saying, in part, “We are terribly sorry for the inconvenience this is causing you and we are working around the clock to remediate the situation.”
This story was originally published September 28, 2019 at 7:44 PM.
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