A car plunged 9 stories down an elevator shaft, erupting into a ball of flames, inside the New World Tower garage in Downtown Miami Tuesday evening.
The incident happened around 6 p.m. when Miami Beach resident, Matt Olechnowicz, tried to retrieve his white Acura TL after work. New World Tower garage is unusual because there are no ramps. It uses valets and auto lifts to move the cars from floor to floor.
According to City of Miami Fire Rescue Captain Ignatius Carroll, Jr., the valet attendant said he tried to start the car using the key fob and the vehicle lurched forward.
“It’s a manual car, so I believe they left it in gear and somehow the car started and it fell down nine floors.”
Matt Olechnowicz
The car went through the safety gate and into the elevator shaft before falling and catching fire. No one was inside the car at the time, and there are no reported injuries.
The incident occurred in the middle of downtown Miami’s commuter traffic. Biscayne Blvd southbound was closed to traffic from NE 3 Street to Flagler, leaving traffic snarled for miles. Biscayne Blvd. was reported reopened around 9 p.m.