A video surfacing last week featuring demolition footage of debris falling into the street caused concern and public outrage when it depicted a chunk of concrete narrowly missing a passing car in Brickell, prompting the City of Miami to schedule an emergency meeting Monday to discuss the event. No injuries were reported during the incident.
City officials say they are concerned with pursuing strategies to make this type of work safer for everyone in the community and will meet to discuss the safety of future demolition events and construction workers on the scene at 700 Brickell Avenue and elsewhere.
The demolition contractor, Alpha Wrecking, and the building owners are expected to attend the meeting to discuss ways to avoid future safety concerns. SOHA and FDOT have also been notified of the incident.
Authorities stayed on the scene until Sunday, keeping people away from the building in case further damage occurred. Debris was removed from the ground, and yellow tape was placed to mark the area blocked off in the best interests of public safety. Locals are still calling for responsibility to be taken.
According to a city spokesperson, the emergency meeting will discuss how this site conducts demolition activities. The goal of the meeting is to find where the current system fell short and find a way to remedy that issue.
The demolition occurred as part of the goal of building One Brickell City Center– an almost 70-story building set to be completed by 2027.
The project is scheduled to continue despite the recent demolition disturbance. Brickell residents say they have become increasingly concerned with safety precautions, asking for accountability and a high level of responsiveness from those in charge.
