NORTH MIAMI, Fla. – A family was displaced from their home Friday morning after the ceiling of a two-story apartment duplex collapsed.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue crews responded to a call at 7:30 a.m. Friday after the ceiling collapsed on a 36-year-old woman.
The woman's husband, Ralph Pierre, their three children who are ages 2 months, 5 and 6 years old, and his mother-in-law are now living out of a car, authorities said.
"Our bathroom is broken because it fall down," said Stacy Pierre, Ralph's 5-year-old daughter.
Ralph Pierre, who was a firefighter in Haiti, said he was worried their home was becoming dangerous.
"When my wife was taking a shower, the ceiling was collapsed," Pierre said.
Pierre's wife was rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital with back and neck injuries but late in the day, she was released.
MDFR said their apartment, located on Northeast 12th Avenue, was condemned by the city's building department for faulty maintenance.
Not only did the ceiling collapse because of poor maintenance in the apartment above but raw sewage has also been spilling right outside their apartment. The manager of the duplex was reportedly at Home Depot at the time Local 10 arrived.
"Every time I call the manager to fix the problem, they didn't come [or] show up," said Pierre.
Pierre has been out of work for eight months and worries about his family.
"I don't have anyplace to go now," Pierre said.
"The guy was being displaced from his home right before Christmas," said Lt. Dave Gonzalez. "He's got a two month old and I recently had a baby. I know what it's like to have a newborn."
The battalion raised nearly $300, which was donated by fellow firefighters and suddenly the word got out that the family was in distress.
"They're sending a DCF chaplain over there to cover his food and living for the next couple of days," said Gonzalez.
MDFR is collecting money and donations for the family. To help, call Lt. Dave Gonzalez at 786-712-2162.