Email: PIO@ocfl.net
Update: The Rialto Apartments Evacuation
Orange County, FL – Today, Thursday, March 19, at approximately 5 a.m., the Orange County Fire Rescue Dispatch Center received 911 calls from residents at The Rialto Apartments located at 7343 W. Sand Lake Road in Orlando. Residents reported loud popping sounds from the building, with several callers reporting that their front doors were jammed, raising immediate concerns of structural instability.
Orange County Fire Rescue, along with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and Orange County Building Safety Division responded, spending the morning ensuring all residents were evacuated from the building. The apartment complex contains 200 units, which are approximately 93% occupied. Some 358 individuals were displaced.
Orange County’s Division of Building Safety has directed the building’s property management to retain a Florida licensed engineer or architect to perform a complete structural evaluation of the building to determine if the structure is safe to occupy, the cause of damage, and any needed repairs. Orange County was not aware of any structural issues with this property until today.
Orange County’s Office of Emergency Management, Visit Orlando, and the American Red Cross are working to secure hotel accommodations for displaced residents. Initially, Lynx provided temporary, on-site shelter from the cold weather.
Several hotels in the area are offering discounted rates to displaced residents including Rosen Hotels & Resorts (Rosen Inn, Rosen Plaza, Rosen Centre and Rosen Shingle Creek), Doubletree Theme Park Resort, and Courtyard by Marriott (across from Universal Orlando). Displaced residents must request the special rates by mentioning The Rialto apartment evacuation. For residents looking for additional information or assistance with hotel accommodations, please call Rialto Property Management at 407-630-8718, option #2.
A link containing photos from the Building Department is provided here: https://ocfl.box.com/s/xt8q1anz0z03jlz3szyay9lq8xjrl3xn
Please direct all public record requests, including for 911 audio, to PublicRecordRequet@ocfl.net.
About Orange County Government: Orange County Government strives to serve its residents and guests with integrity, honesty, fairness and professionalism. Located in Central Florida, Orange County includes 13 municipalities and is home to world-famous theme parks, one of the nation’s largest convention centers and a thriving life science research park. Seven elected members make up the Board of County Commissioners, including the Mayor, who is elected countywide. For more information, please visit www.OCFL.net or go to Orange County Government’s social media channels.