Miami Gardens residents displaced by apartment building fire learn it wasn’t insured
By WFOR Staff
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MIAMI (WFOR) — Residents of a Miami Gardens of the New World Condo Apartments on NW177th Street, who lost everything when a fire heavily damaged it over the weekend, are upset and confused after learning they were no longer insured.
“Our insurance company canceled our insurance, as most people know because the 40-year certification was not done,” according to the property manager.
She said the board chose not to go with it because it was too expensive to do the 40-year recertification.
After learning about this during a meeting with the property manager and the Red Cross, residents were very upset because their rent had just been raised.
“Six months ago, it was raised 6 months ago. I don’t know that lady, I never met her, this is my first time meeting her,” said one upset resident who heard from the property manager for the first time.
Others said they paid fees so they were confused as to why there was no insurance.
“Once we pay the HOA fees, insurance is included in the HOA fees and we didn’t have any insurance, we are not responsible for that. She is responsible for that, the gate has not been working, the garbage has not been picked up,” said one angry resident.
Miami Dade Fire Rescue was called to the apartment complex fire around 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Thick smoke billowed from the building as flames quickly spread across the second floor. Firefighters battled the blaze, but the windy conditions enhanced it, leading to a collapse of a majority of the roof.
At least 75 units were damaged, about half of them destroyed.
The Red Cross is providing assistance to those in need at the Betty T. Ferguson Recreation Center.
So far the Red Cross is housing 60 people.
Those not staying in their shelter can still go to the rec center for services, whether it’s food, medical or mental health.
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