ladbible logo

To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

Miami Firefighter Finds Own Daughter In Champlain Towers Wreckage

Miami Firefighter Finds Own Daughter In Champlain Towers Wreckage

The Miami first responder discovered his own seven-year-old daughter amidst the rubble at Champlain Towers South in Surfside

Tom Wood

Tom Wood

A firefighter involved in the search and rescue efforts at Champlain Towers South in Miami was unfortunate enough to discover the body of his own seven-year-old daughter amidst the wreckage following the building's collapse.

The girl, who was identified by her family as Stella Cattarossi, was removed from the rubble of the fallen building in Surfside as her father was working to find survivors and bodies left after the collapse, according to news outlet Local 10.

Four other members of the Cattarossi family remain missing, including Stella's mother Graciela, her grandparents Graciela and Gino, and her aunt Andrea, who was visiting from Argentina at the time of the disaster.

On a GoFundMe page set up to raise money for Stella's remaining family, it stated that Stella had been living in Champlain Towers South since her birth.

The four members of the Cattarossi family.
GoFundMe

Miami Fire Rescue Chief Joseph Zahralban confirmed that the body of a seven-year-old girl was pulled from the wreckage, and also confirmed the tragic news that the child was the daughter of one of the first responders working at the site.

He said: "Our hearts and prayers are with the families affected by this horrific tragedy,

"We can confirm that a member of our City of Miami Fire Department family has lost his seven-year-old daughter in the collapse.

"She was recovered last night by members of our Urban Search and Rescue Team, Florida Task Force 2.

"We ask that you respect the privacy of the immediate family as well as our Fire Department family while we grieve our loss and support our own."

Miami-Dade County mayor Daniella Levine Cava added that two victims - including the young girl - were removed from the wreckage on Thursday, taking the official death total to 22.

126 people are still missing.

Cava went on to say that the disaster was 'uniquely different' and 'more difficult for our first responders' to deal with.

First responders working at the Champlain Towers site.
PA

The rescuers, she added, are 'paying a huge human toll' during their ceaseless efforts to located survivors and recover bodies from the wreckage.

Operations at the site have now resumed again after 15 hour stoppage whilst the building was evaluated due to structural concerns, sparking fears of another collapse.

Cava said: "We will continue to search feverishly, as we have done all along in the parts of the collapse that we currently have access to."

No survivors have been found amongst the wreckage since last Thursday, not long after the collapse.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Miami, US News