MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – The owner of a car that was flattened after a second-floor balcony collapsed onto it said Monday that she's just happy that the people injured are expected to recover.
Rachel Smith, who moved to Miami Beach a few months ago from New Jersey, told Local 10's Glenna Milberg that she was asleep when someone knocked on her door and told her a neighbor's balcony had collapsed onto her car.
Neighbors said four people were smoking on the small balcony at the Dora condo building in the 48000 block of Harding Avenue around 10 a.m. Sunday when the floor gave way. The collapse totaled Smith's Chevy and sent all four people to local hospitals. But no one suffered any life-threatening injuries.
Smith said she hardly uses the balcony in her unit and hasn't had any problems with the building's management.
"We really don't use it at all. Thank God," Smith said.
On Monday, notes were posted around the building urging residents not to use their balconies. Officials with the Miami Beach Building Department declared the unit where the balcony collapsed structurally unsafe. The unit's residents aren't allowed to return to the apartment for the time being.
Residents of the building haven't heard from the management about what caused the collapse.
"Honestly, we’re still waiting on answers since it’s around the holidays," Smith said.
Smith has set up a GoFundMe page after the collapse to help her get a new car.
"We have had the car for a while and very much depended on it. Since it’s been crushed we’re walking where we’re able to but mostly taking Uber, which is starting to add up," Smith said.