The Champlain Towers South condo building collasped June 29.
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Days after the partial collapse of a 135-unit condominium tower in the Surfside area of Miami Beach, search-and-rescue crews continue to comb the site for survivors. The 12-story Champlain Towers South building is the subject of intense scrutiny as the fates of scores of people remain unknown.
The cause of the building failure is also at the center of the discussion, along with the number of casualties and injuries — a number that is expected to mount as recovery teams pick through the rubble.
In the wake of the building’s sudden crumbling, more details continue to develop. For now, here’s what we know about the collapse of the condo, speculation why the building may have collapsed, what we know about the victims, and who might be liable.
Why did the Champlain Towers condo building collapse?
Champlain Towers South, the condo residence that collapsed, is in a stretch of residential building located in the Miami area’s beach zone. Champlain Towers North and East next door are still standing (more on this below).
Local officials and national news outlets haven’t identified a single reason for the building’s collapse. While it could take months to pinpoint the causes of the failure, a report from a 2018 engineering-firm inspection warned of “major structural damage” to the building.
In April, Jean Wodnicki, president of the condo association’s board of directors, sent a letter to residents outlining proposed repairs based on the report, noting that damage to the building “has gotten significantly worse,” since the 2018 inspection, USA Today reported.
Environmental changes could have also contributed to the sudden failure. The land the Champlain Towers South building sits on is sinking, possibly from a sinkhole or rising sea levels, according to The New York Times. Investigation into possible causes is expected to start after the rescue operation ends.
How many victims are there so far?
As of Tuesday, it’s been reported that 12 people have died in the collapse, with 149 residents yet unaccounted for. The dead and missing include retirees from New York, those who used the condo as a second home, a Colombian family on vacation and a nanny from Paraguay.
On Tuesday, “unmanned robots” are aiding human rescue workers to help remove debris in the ongoing search and rescue mission, The Miami Herald reported.
Are the other two Champlain towers being evacuated?
Residents of two sister towers — Champlain Towers North and East — have not been ordered to evacuate their condo buildings yet. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is offering temporary housing for those who do decide to leave while the two remaining buildings are being inspected. The north tower was built in 1981, the same year as the south tower. The east tower was built in 1994.
Will there be lawsuits?
There already are. Following the collapse, condo owners filed a class-action lawsuit against the condo association, claiming the association failed to “secure and safeguard the lives and property.” The law firm bringing the suit said it expects injury-related lawsuits as well, NPR reported.
Rosendo “Ross” Prieto, a senior building official for Surfside, is on a leave of absence after the deadly incident, according to The Miami Herald and numerous other outlets. After reviewing the 2018 report about the building’s structural damage, he reportedly said the tower was “in very good shape,” according to the Herald.