South Beach Hostel Fire Displaces Nearly 100

A fire broke out around 5:15 p.m. Monday on the second floor of the South Beach Rooms and Hostel at 236 Ninth Street in Miami Beach, with flames seen shooting from a window before firefighters contained the blaze. Nearly 100 people (reported as 98–100) were displaced; there were no reported injuries, but many guests said their belongings were trapped, some were forced to sleep outside, and several have been unable to reach management about refunds or deposits. The American Red Cross and hostel employees provided emergency assistance and helped relocate affected people, while some guests reported difficulty accessing their rooms to retrieve items. The building and nearby ground-floor businesses have been boarded up pending city clearance, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation with detectives asking anyone with information to contact Miami‑Dade Crime Stoppers.