FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A renter’s worst nightmare came true at an apartment building in Fort Lauderdale’s Las Olas neighborhood over the weekend.
A pipe burst at the Camden Las Olas Apartments, located at 501 SE Second St., causing significant damage with a likely days-long cleanup.
Videos taken by residents include flooded floors and a collapsed ceiling after a pipe burst on the 15th floor, sending water pouring down elevator shafts, stairwells and into apartments.
Residents told Local 10 News that at least nine floors had water damage and many said their units and property were destroyed.
Those who lived on the affected floors said they had to walk up and down several flights of stairs after they learned the elevators had been shut down.
“All my neighbors start running out of their apartments, being like, ‘Oh my God, my apartment is completely flooded.’ Blah, blah, blah. And I was like, ‘What? What?’ Because, like, mine was fine,” resident Hunter Lamdin said. “I didn’t know what was going on. And then I go back into my apartment, and it starts happening there, and then, like, five minutes later, there’s like, these alarms going off, being like, ‘Evacuate, evacuate.’”
Restoration crews continued to clean up the mess Tuesday.
Residents said property managers are telling them to submit claims to their renters’ insurance.
A property manager declined to comment Tuesday, directing Local 10 News to Camden’s corporate office.
The company released a statement Tuesday afternoon:
“A sprinkler pipe on the 15th floor burst and caused damage as the water drained down several floors. Our Camden team was onsite within 30 minutes of notification and immediately began the mitigation process. Restoration contractors began the dry-out and restoration process shortly after Camden teams arrived. While we hate that this incident occurred, we will work with impacted residents to assess the damage and hope to minimize the disruption.”