Speaking to the media on Friday a day after his South Florida home burned down, Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra offered his appreciation and thanks to those who reached out in support.
Following the Heat’s 126-108 win over the Charlotte Hornets, the magnitude of the situation started to sink in for Spoelstra.
Firefighters responded to a report of a fire in Coral Gables at 4:30 a.m. on Thursday, and arrived on the scene to discover two buildings engulfed in flames. The fire was successfully extinguished before it spread to other homes.
“Ladder trucks were used to attack the fire from above,” Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said in a news release. “The intense heat and a partial roof collapse forced crews to take a defensive approach, fighting the fire from the outside to ensure firefighter safety. … The cause of the fire is under investigation.”
Spoelstra and the Heat played in Denver on Wednesday night. The Heat flew back to Miami overnight, and did not land until 5:11 a.m. after the fire was already reported. Spoelstra arrived at the home after firefighters were already on the scene.
No one was injured and Spoelstra’s three children were at their mother’s home at the time of the fire. Wives and girlfriends of Heat players have been busy helping the family, even donating items such as toys that were destroyed.
The Heat offered Spoelstra time off to deal with the situation, but he declined. He said that his children wanted to go to Friday’s game, which meant he needed to work.