County opens an ‘unsafe structure’ case the day after a deadly garage fire in Kendall

David J. Neal
·2 min read
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An ”unsafe structure” case has been opened by Miami-Dade County involving a Kendall house where a 68-year-old man died in a Tuesday morning fire while living in a garage apartment.

READ MORE: Kendall house fire kills father who was living in garage with his son

Accused of violation in the case: Anabel Mendez Melendez, who has owned 15856 SW 143rd Ct. with Michael Batista since their purchase on Nov. 24, 2021. Mendez did not respond to email or phone messages and Batista declined to comment when reached by the Miami Herald.

Building Code Enforcement joins Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and Miami-Dade police in investigating the 3:35 a.m. fire that killed Kenneth Pirraglia. He had lived in the garage efficiency apartment with his adult son since 2017, the year that the garage got converted to an apartment, according to photos with the property’s online county registration.

That’s not all that photos might be showing.

The boarded up door, window and the air conditioner to the garage efficiency apartment at 15856 SW 143rd Ct., where Kenneth Pirraglia in a fire Tuesday.
The boarded up door, window and the air conditioner to the garage efficiency apartment at 15856 SW 143rd Ct., where Kenneth Pirraglia in a fire Tuesday.

How many apartments are there?

Miami-Dade County property records say 15856 SW 143rd Ct. is supposed to be one living unit, a four-bedroom, two-bathroom home. But the garage efficiency, added while Jossie Ruiz owned the property, makes two units. There are signs there could be a third unit with a private entrance on the other side of the house.

Overhead photos of the north side of the house on Feb. 6, 2017, show a fence from the front around the north side of the house and no side door.

An overhead view of the north side of 15856 SW 143rd Ct. on Feb. 6, 2017. There’s no side door near the front of the house.
An overhead view of the north side of 15856 SW 143rd Ct. on Feb. 6, 2017. There’s no side door near the front of the house.

An overhead photo from Sept. 15, 2017, shows a north side door installed.

An overhead view of the north side of 15856 SW 143rd St. shows a side door had been added by Sept. 15, 2017.
An overhead view of the north side of 15856 SW 143rd St. shows a side door had been added by Sept. 15, 2017.

An overhead photo from Jan. 2, 2023, shows a short fence installed a few yards in front of the north side door, sealing it off from the side yard. Also, pavers have been put in the grass between the sidewalk and a gate to the small area sealed off from the side yard. On Wednesday, a clothesline with clothes pins hung across the small area.

The Jan. 2, 2023 overhead shot of 15856 SW 143rd Ct. from the north side shows a small fence added in front of the side door and pavers put down toward a gate.
The Jan. 2, 2023 overhead shot of 15856 SW 143rd Ct. from the north side shows a small fence added in front of the side door and pavers put down toward a gate.
The pavers from the sidewalk to the gate in the fence to a small area with a side door on the north side of 15856 SW 143rd Ct.
The pavers from the sidewalk to the gate in the fence to a small area with a side door on the north side of 15856 SW 143rd Ct.