Nearly 200 Residents Displaced by Miami-Dade Apartment Fire Seek Help – NBC 6 South Florida

Tempers flared at a meeting Monday involving dozens of residents who were forced out of a Miami-Dade apartment building that became engulfed in flames over the weekend.

Close to 100 residents of the New World Condominiums Apartments filled a room at the Betty T. Ferguson Recreational Complex in Miami Gardens to hear from the building manager.

The building manager, who only identified herself as Denise, told renters and owners that the condominium association had no fire insurance, after owners declined to pay a special assessment for a 40-year re-certification.

“Our insurance company canceled our insurance. Most people know that. Because this 40-year, the 40-year re-certification was not done,” Denise told the residents.

The building manager also confirmed to NBC 6 that if renting residents don’t have renter’s insurance, their belongings are lost, regardless of the fire insurance status.

NBC 6’s Julia Bagg has reaction from some residents after the fire destroyed some units on Saturday.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue had responded to the fire at the building on Northwest 177th Street just before 10:30 a.m. Saturday.

Officials said 75 apartments were affected by the fire and the second floor of half of the building collapsed.

No injuries were reported but nearly 200 residents are now without a home.

“It’s a zero-zero situation, like we have lost everything,” resident Zorodzai Rukwasi said Monday.

Rukwasi and others have made the Ferguson Center their temporary home thanks to the Red Cross.

“I’m staying here in the shelter with my husband and my son for now until we figure out. Because we’re still trying to comprehend it. We’re just thinking maybe we’re gonna wake up and we have a place again,” Rukwasi said.

While Rukwasi isn’t sure what’s next, she said she’s thankful her family didn;t lose anything else.

“We are alive. At least we didn’t lose ourselves,” she said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.