Heat coach Erik Spoelstra grateful for support after fire destroys home

MIAMI — Miami coach Erik Spoelstra, accompanied by his three children, spoke publicly Friday for the first time since a fire burned his home and expressed his gratitude for what he called the “absolutely wonderful” support in the aftermath.

Spoelstra's home was destroyed by the fire, which broke out sometime around 4:30 a.m. Thursday. His children, Santiago, Dante and Ruby, were at their mother's house at the time, and no one was injured in the fire.

“Things in the house, those things can be replaced,” Spoelstra said before Miami's game against the Charlotte Hornets. “And if they can’t be replaced, what does it matter? It really makes a difference. Family, closest people, our dog was also safe, thank God. We're just grateful. We're grateful everyone is safe and in a great place.”

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Spoelstra said the Heat offered him a few days off if he needed to sort out personal matters, but he declined.

“The kids wanted to come to the game tonight,” Spoelstra said. “So, I thought if they want to come to the game, I better work.”

Spoelstra was flying home with the Heat after Wednesday night's game in Denver when the fire started. The fire was called out around 4:36 a.m. Thursday and the Heat charter landed in Miami about 35 minutes later, according to county reports.

When Spoelstra arrived at his home, several fire engines were on the scene. He was seen walking around the house in the wee hours, sometimes stopping and holding his head in apparent disbelief as flames burst into the darkness.

“I want to thank the first responders, the police officers and the firefighters. They were amazing,” Spoelstra said. “They couldn't save our house, but obviously we saw things that could have spread to the rest of the area. They were very kind in trying to put out all the flames.”

Spoelstra said the entire Heat family has offered support, and that even some of the team's players' wives and girlfriends are already busy trying to help the kids, who started school Friday with a surprise or two as usual.

“Perhaps some toys that were lost in the house,” Spoelstra said. “They were amazing.”

Drone footage showed much of the house reduced to charred ruins. Some crews remained on the scene monitoring hot spots until Thursday afternoon – about eight hours after the fire was called.

“Ladder trucks were used to fight the fire from above,” Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said in a news release. “Intense heat and partial roof collapse forced crews to take a defensive position and fight the fire from the outside to ensure the safety of firefighters… The cause of the fire is under investigation.”

Spoelstra, who has been with the Heat since 1995 and head coach since 2008, purchased the five-bedroom home in December 2023. After the purchase, he made extensive renovations to the house.

Last month, he finalized a deal to become coach of the U.S. men's Olympic basketball team for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.

“I just want to thank everyone for this tremendous support,” Spoelstra said, his sons standing on either side of him as he spoke and his daughter sitting on his lap. “The South Florida community is amazing. People come to us and want to help. Obviously this was something unique and challenging for our family, but the Spoelstras are resilient.”