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Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra’s home was destroyed in a fire early Thursday morning, the cause of which has not yet been determined.
No one was home when the house was engulfed in flames well before sunrise — Spoelstra was flying back to Miami from a game in Denver, and his children were at their mother’s house.
In his first comments since the blaze, ahead of Miami’s game against the Charlotte Hornets, Spoelstra thanked the “fantastic” first responders.
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Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra reacts during the fourth quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. (Petre Thomas/Imagn Images)
“I want to give a shout out to the first responders, the police and the firefighters. They were amazing. They weren’t able to save our house, but of course we saw things that could have spread to the rest of the neighborhood. They were very kind as they tried to put out all the flames,” he said. “The things in the house, those things can be replaced. And if they can’t be replaced, what does it really mean? That’s really what matters. The family, the loved ones, our dog was safe too, thank God. We’re just thankful. We’re thankful that everyone is safe and in a great place.”
Spoelstra said the Heat offered him a few days off if he needed to deal with personal matters, and he declined.
“The kids wanted to come to the game tonight,” Spoelstra said. “So I thought, if they’re going to the game, I’d better get to work.”
Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra’s house caught fire on November 6, 2025. (WSVN-TV)
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Spoelstra also thanked the “absolutely remarkable” South Florida community for their “overwhelming support.”
“People are reaching out, wanting to help. It’s obviously been something that’s uniquely challenging for our family, but the Spoelstras are resilient.”
The Heat scored a franchise-record 53 points in the first quarter en route to their 126-108 victory. He said afterwards that “in a perfect world, I’d rather go home” after the match.
Miami-Dade County fire officials said the fire was reported around 1 p.m. 4:36. Spoelstra arrived at the scene shortly after the plane landed. Cameras showed Spoelstra pulling up to the house looking confused, according to WSVN-TV in Miami.
Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra speaks to the media during Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals 2023 NBA Playoffs on May 17, 2023 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
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Firefighters were initially focused on the garage of the multimillion-dollar home before flames began to spread across the property.
