FLORIDA CITY, Fla. – Newly obtained video shows the aftermath of an explosive emergency in Florida City.
The blast happened just before 9 a.m. on Saturday inside the Caribbean’s Heart restaurant off Palm Drive, near Redland Road. It sparked a small fire and caused part of the strip mall’s roof to collapse.
First responders were forced to use search and rescue dogs to sniff through the debris for anyone who may have been trapped.
“There was very little room to get in there,” said Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Division Chief Horacio Rodrigues. ”It’s not safe for our units to get in there, which is why we dispatched the dogs.”
Surveillance video shows some of the first officers arriving.
The restaurant owner, Syndy Thelemaque, shared a video with Local 10 showing the inside of her business as they prepared for their grand opening.
She said crews from a local gas company were there and were in the process of turning on their cooking equipment when something went horribly wrong.
Thelemaque later spoke to local media outlets Monday evening.
“Caribbean Heart was built to bring people together through food, family and love,” she said. “Though our grand opening must now be delayed, our purpose remains.”
She added, “We were ready to share our culture, flavor, and love for our culture to the community.”
The explosion left the front parking lot littered with broken glass and sent 10 people to the hospital, including two who had to be taken by helicopter.
“I’m in pain, but I’m OK because I have a life,” said Luz Tejada, who owns a salon a few doors down from the restaurant.
She said her arm was injured by the force of the explosion.
“That’s really, really bad,” Tejada said. “Everything (was) coming down to the floor and then when the explosion (came), it pushed my body.”
Thelemaque said the two victims with the most serious injuries, who were taken by helicopter to the hospital, were her husband and a family friend who was working inside at the time.
“I know I lost everything,” she said. “I lost everything I ever owned on a teacher’s salary, but life matters most.”
She said both suffered second-degree burns, while the family friend/worker was also hit in the head by falling debris.
Both have since been discharged and are now recovering at home, she said.
The building has been closed off and condemned while the investigation into the blast continues.
