Investigations into “terrible situation” in Virginia Gardens continue

VIRGINIA GARDENS, Florida. – Investigators were still in and around a three-story building in Virginia Gardens on Saturday after a man had to be flown to the hospital by helicopter on Friday because of a fire.

Miami-Dade Fire Department personnel were at the building on the corner of Northwest 66 Avenue and 36 Street, just north of Miami International Airport, shortly before 11 a.m. Friday. One yelled urgently to the emergency dispatcher: “Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! We have a firefighter down.”

“We’ll take him down the stairs!”

MDFR used a helicopter to transport an injured man to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center. Firefighters entered the building through broken windows and extinguished the flames with an aerial ladder. Temporary road closures were in place.

“Horrible situation in Miami today,” State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis wrote Friday. “I have been in contact with local authorities and fire inspectors from my office are en route to the scene to assist with the fire investigation. Please join me in praying for those injured in this unfortunate incident.”

Virginia Beach residents who live near the building said it was unoccupied, so the massive fire department response came as a surprise.

MDFR chief Raied “Ray” Jadallah had not yet made a statement on Saturday afternoon.