Despite chilly temperatures, more than 1,000 people camped outside a Miami firehouse in the hopes of applying for 35 spots with city's fire department, The Miami Herald reported.
Some of the job seekers lined up as early as Saturday afternoon to hand in their applications Monday morning, pitching tents and eating out of coolers and pizza boxes, the Herald reported.
"We've never had this kind of turnout," city spokeswoman Kelly Penton told the paper. "This is unprecedented."
The city accepted the first 750 applications for 35 positions starting at 8 a.m. Monday. By 7:50 p.m., Miami officials reached their limit.
Tempers flared at times during the long wait. One prospective firefighter reported that some applicants were cutting in front of people, which angered him and others because getting the job depended on their place in line, the paper reported.
"I slept here, damn it," paramedic Jose Janvion fumed. "People just got here at 8 a.m. and skipped us."
The starting salary for a Miami firefighter is $46,000 plus benefits.
Click here for more on this story from The Miami Herald.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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