Miami-Dade County has sued Reworld Dade and parent Reworld Holding Corp. for more than $750 million, alleging the operator neglected fire-protection systems and left sprinkler valves closed before a February 2023 fire destroyed the Doral waste-to-energy plant. The 67-page complaint lists nine counts, including breach of contract and gross negligence, and reconstructs the fire timeline: a conveyor stopped at 1:33 p.m., flames were seen by about 2:10 p.m., and a 911 call came at 2:16 p.m. County officials note prior violation notices and an insurer inspection that warned of impaired protections; damages include lost electricity revenue, cleanup, diversion costs and the expense of a possible $3 billion replacement facility.
Miami-Dade Sues Reworld for More Than $750M Over Doral Incinerator Fire
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Miami-Dade County has filed a lawsuit seeking more than $750 million from Reworld Dade, the operator of the Doral waste-to-energy plant, and its parent company, Reworld Holding Corp. The county alleges the companies allowed critical fire-protection systems to fall into disrepair, ignored repeated warnings, and left sprinkler-supply valves closed before a February 2023 blaze destroyed much of the facility.
What the Lawsuit Says
The 67-page complaint, filed on Sept. 28, advances nine causes of action against the operator and its parent, including breach of contract, gross negligence, fraud in the inducement, and violations of the county's False Claims Ordinance. County attorneys say employees isolated the sprinkler supply around the conveyor where the fire began by closing supply valves even though no repair work required cutting off the water; one sprinkler system tied to that area was reportedly left shut for roughly a year.
Reconstruction Of The Fire
According to the filing, a conveyor stopped at about 1:33 p.m.2:10 p.m. and spread along the conveyor within minutes. Miami-Dade alleges neither the upper nor lower sprinkler banks activated and that a 911 call was not placed until about 2:16 p.m.
Prior Warnings
Inspectors had previously flagged problems: Miami-Dade Fire Rescue issued six violation notices between October 2019 and September 2022. The complaint also cites an insurer-ordered inspection roughly five weeks before the fire that warned impaired protection near combustible materials could permit rapid flame spread.
Scope Of The Damage
The county says the blaze destroyed most of a facility that processed roughly 3,150 tons of waste per day. Miami-Dade values the plant's replacement at more than $500 million and says its claim also covers lost electricity revenue, demolition and cleanup costs, environmental monitoring, and expenses from diverting trash to other sites. One county estimate places the cost to build a modern replacement facility at about $3 billion.
Responses And Next Steps
Reworld has disputed the county's account. In a November 2025 letter responding to an earlier county demand, the company said Miami-Dade did not fund needed upgrades to the aging plant, failed to maintain full insurance coverage, and later elected not to rebuild after the fire. The lawsuit names both Reworld Dade and Reworld Holding Corp. as defendants and requests a jury trial. Miami-Dade is actively searching for land on which to build a successor facility.
“Reworld was responsible for operating and maintaining it, and the allegations in this lawsuit point to serious failures to meet those responsibilities,” Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said. “We are taking this action to recover the damages our County has suffered and protect our taxpayers.”
Broader Context
The filing places the dispute in a broader pattern of conflicts over waste facilities, emissions and environmental oversight, including controversies involving incinerators, landfill methane emissions, alleged improper toxic-waste disposal by workers in other jurisdictions, failures in self-monitoring by some water companies, and investigative findings about problematic e-waste operations abroad.
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