First responders who frantically tried to save residents in that Florida condo collapse, located a woman who was banging on debris as she begged them to save her … but it was not to be.
Dispatch audio of communications with rescuers shows the desperation during the first 11 hours after the building crumbled to the ground.
You hear one rescuer say, “In communication with a victim who’s saying that there’s a total of 3 people that was in that apartment with her.”
Apparently, the woman was in the apartment with her parents when disaster struck.
A first responder is heard saying, “She’s stuck in between two beds right now. But her parents was also in the apartment. I don’t hear them,” adding, “She’s banging on some debris. Seems like she’s pretty close to us.” You hear banging in the recording.
A first responder who was on scene told Local 10 news … “Everybody that was there that’s what we’re trying to do get this lady out and comfort her. She was asking for help and she was pleading to be taken out of there. We were continuously talking to her…’Honey, we got you. We’re going to get to you.’”
The Fire Chief for Miami-Dade added, “We did hear audible sounds and they were searching for a female voice for several hours and eventually we didn’t hear her voice anymore. Everyone that’s here on scene is trying to do the best we can with these heroic efforts. But, yes, unfortunately we didn’t have success with that.”
During the rescue, there were reports of a fire … possibly from a burning mattress. It’s unclear if this is connected to the woman who was trapped.
So far, the official death toll stands at 18, with 145 people not accounted for
