12-Storey US Apartment Partially Collapses; One Dead

Video footage showed a large portion of the building in the town of Surfside -- just north of Miami Beach in Florida-- reduced to rubble, with the apartments' interiors exposed.

A 12-storey oceanfront apartment block in Florida partially collapsed early Thursday, killing at least one person and sparking a major emergency response with dozens of rescuers combing the rubble for survivors. Video footage posted online showed a large portion of the building in the town of Surfside -- just north of Miami Beach -- reduced to rubble, with the apartments' interiors exposed. It was unclear how many people lived in the building or who had been inside at the time. Some residents were able to walk down the stairs to safety while others had to be rescued from their balconies. At least one person has been confirmed dead, Surfside mayor Charles Burkett told NBC's Today show.