Explosion rips through Miami-area high rise under construction

Local officials are reporting that an explosion which has injured at least six people at a Miami-area high-rise was caused by a natural gas leak in the boiler room.

The official Twitter account for Miami-Dade Fire and Rescue reports that the explosion took place at the Chateau Beach Residences, located at the intersection of 174th Street and Collins Avenue in Sunny Isles Beach, about 20 miles north of Florida.

“Four people have been taken to the hospital, and one person has been treated and released,” Nuria Serrano, public information officer for Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, told the Associated Press. Other individuals who were affected by falling debris have also been treated.

Aerial images show four holes in the walls on the top floor of the southeast side of the building. After the explosion, debris fell onto the pool deck of the neighboring Monaco Oceanfront Resort, and onto the beach below.

CBS Miami’s aerial footage showed fire trucks in the area around noon. There was also a large police presence. Shortly thereafter, the city closed off the street. They have not yet said when it will reopen.   

Officials said that the building where the explosion took place was under construction at the time; the only people who would have been inside the building were construction workers.

The last major natural gas explosion in Florida took place last year at Escambia County Jail, which injured almost 200 inmates and rendered a portion of the jail unusable.

This report contains material from the Associated Press.