Overview
- Roughly 350 to 400 residents were cleared from the five-story complex after loud popping noises, jammed doors, and visible cracks prompted firefighters to force open several units.
- Orange County required the owner to retain a Florida-licensed engineer or architect, and a structural firm began unit-by-unit inspections Friday to determine safety, causes of damage, and needed repairs.
- Displaced tenants were turned away from collecting belongings as deputies taped off the property, though escorted access for vehicles and essential medicines has been permitted.
- Orange County, Visit Orlando, and the American Red Cross are coordinating hotel placements, and Rosen Hotels activated a distress rate for affected residents.
- Residents report the owner has referred them to renters’ insurers for living expenses, with some carriers declining assistance until an engineering report is provided, while the owner says it is helping identify temporary accommodations.