Miami Beach apartment collapse live – Mass casualties feared after 12-story building falls & ‘witnesses hear screams’

MASS casualties are feared after a 12-story apartment block partially collapsed near Miami beach.

Witnesses reportedly heard screams from the rubble as around 80 emergency crews responded to the incident in Surfside around 2am on Thursday.

Footage shows a large section of the apartment building, called Champlain Towers South, that had collapsed into a pile of rubble near Collins Avenue on 88th Street, NBC Miami reports.

People are presumed to be in the rubble but the exact number remains unknown.

It’s reported that Miami Dade authorities have declared a “Level 5” mass casualty event meaning statewide emergency resources are required.

Read of Miami Beach apartment collapse live blog for the latest news and updates…