More than 350 people were hastily evacuated from The Rialto apartment complex in southwest Orlando after Orange County Fire Rescue workers discovered structural cracks throughout the five-story building and doors that wouldn’t open. The evacuation began Thursday morning when a panicky resident called 911 to report popping and cracking sounds and a jammed front door at the complex in southwest Orlando. Orange County Fire Rescue workers and a building inspector surveyed the building, found signs of structural instability on all five floors, and decided to evacuate all residents.
“I have to wait in line, I think I’m early enough, so it’s not too long today. But I just want to get a few things that I need and have a good chill weekend, and be honest with you, hope for the best,” said Neil Baboush, a displaced resident who left with basically nothing. Firefighters found cracks in walls and hallways, and several doors had to be broken to free people from their apartments. A structural engineering firm arrived at the complex at 7 a.m. Friday to inspect the building and evaluate how severe the damage is.
The Orange County Building Safety Division provided details about the building’s inspection history, stating the complex was built in 2014 and had passed an annual inspection in September, which found no structural damage. “Orange County’s Division of Building Safety conducted all required inspections during the construction of the apartment complex in 2013 and 2014,” the division said in a statement. The division noted it was not made aware of any structural concerns at the property until the early morning of March 19, when the county was notified of the 911 call by Orange County Fire Rescue.
The evacuation represents the latest incident since Florida officials became more alert to potential structural issues following the 2021 collapse of a condominium building near Miami Beach that killed 98 people. After that tragedy, Florida lawmakers passed legislation requiring more inspections and more reserve funding for most condominium buildings around the state. In 2025, a Clearwater condo building was evacuated after a concrete beam developed significant cracking, and in 2023, a condo building on Biscayne Bay was deemed unsafe after a 60-year inspection found sagging floors and termite damage.
Local emergency management and the American Red Cross worked to find hotel accommodations for the displaced residents, with hotels offering discounted rates to those affected by the evacuation. The complex, located near a lake with ground-level shops, housed more than 300 people who grabbed what they could before leaving to find alternative accommodations. People were forced to wait in lines to retrieve essential belongings from their apartments while engineers conducted their safety assessment.
“Building Safety has required the property owner to retain a Florida-licensed engineer or architect to conduct a comprehensive structural evaluation,” the Orange County Building Safety Division stated. This assessment will determine whether the building is safe for occupancy, identify the cause of the damage, and outline any necessary repairs. The structural engineer hired by the complex was examining the building over the weekend to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the building’s safety and structural integrity.