MIA officials say some cars not damaged in Flamingo Parking Garage fire may be relocated Friday
Jan 09, 2025
One day after flames erupted inside Miami International Airport’s Flamingo Parking Garage, many residents are wondering when they’ll be able to retrieve their cars.
MIA officials said four cars erupted in flames on Wednesday and that 12 vehicles in total were damaged.
“None of the vehicles involved were electric vehicles,” said Miami-Dade Sheriff Fire Rescue North District Chief Rogelio Vandamas.
7News cameras captured charred cars inside the garage, as well as other vehicles with soot on top of it.
Now, as some of these car owners return from trips to pick their cars up, many wonder when they will be able to get the cars out of the affected section of the garage.
Officials said the cars may be relocated on Friday in an effort to reunite them with their owners.
On Thursday, the Flamingo garage was open to the public, with the exception of an area that was taped off by orange barricades where the fire erupted.
Officials were seen installing support beams inside of the garage after concerns of structural damage and spaulding of concrete.
“Basically, the concrete pops from the heat, from the water inside the concrete, so it loses small chunks from the concrete,” said Vandamas. “It leaves, like, holes, like divets in the concrete, so the engineers are on scene determining to see what their next course is, and there will be a section of the parking garage that will be closed off until their assessment is done.”
Witness Mariela Bello described the fiery scene on Wednesday.
““I was thinking, ‘Oh, my gosh, I hope it’s not close to my car,’” she said.
Thankfully, no one was hurt in this fire.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.