Two-time champion coach Erik Spoelstra was on a flight returning to Miami from Denver when a fire ravaged his home in Coral Gables, Florida. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported.
Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra’s home in Coral Gables, Florida, was severely damaged in a massive fire that broke out late Thursday evening on November 6 (PH Time).
Fortunately, Spoelstra was not at the residence at the time of the incident, as he was on a flight back to Miami after the Heat’s 122-112 loss to the Nuggets in Denver the previous day.
No injuries have been reported as the cause and origin of the fire is still unknown.
"We are grateful to learn that nobody was harmed in the fire at Coach Spoelstra's residence this morning. Our thoughts, prayers, and support are with Spo and his family during this time," the Heat said in a statement.
Spoelstra was later seen surveying the damage outside his home after the team’s flight landed back in Miami.
In a news briefing, Miami-Dade Battalion Chief Victoria Byrd described the fire as “as tall as the trees,” adding that 20 units, including over 100 firefighters and a hazardous materials team, responded to the blaze.
Byrd also noted that the presence of a privacy fence and dense tree cover initially hindered crews’ efforts to gain access to the scene.
“Our teams did an outstanding job,” she affirmed.
In his 18th season as head coach of the Heat, Spoelstra was recently appointed as the head coach of the U.S. men’s national basketball team for the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics.
[ALSO READ: Erik Spoelstra’s 30-year journey to becoming Team USA head coach]
Meanwhile, Miami (4-4) returns to action when they face the Charlotte Hornets tomorrow at home in an NBA Cup showdown.
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Pao Ambat earned his journalism degree from Cavite State University in 2022.
Passionate about sports from a young age, he primarily covers the NBA for One Sports, while also assisting in reporting on the PVL, PBA, UAAP, and other leagues.