At least one person was killed and dozens were trapped Thursday when a condo tower on a Miami beach collapsed, leaving the structure looking like a gigantic broken dollhouse. Rescuers extracted dozens of people, and they continued their frantic hunt for others.
Contents
- 1 Inside Tumultuous Before Florida Condo
- 2 Governor Ron DeSantis, Who Visited The Site, Claimed That The News Coverage Downplayed the Tragedy.
- 3 Vice President Joe Biden has Pledged Federal Assistance For Any Legitimate Requests.
- 4 The Only Way They Could be Recovered Alive is by a Miracle, She Said.
- 5 Cohen, a Former Vice Mayor of Surfside, Remarked, “I Couldn’t Venture Out Past My Doorway.”
Inside Tumultuous Before Florida Condo
Around 1:30 in the morning, one of the 12 story buildings in Surfside collapsed with a roar. By late evening, police reported that about 100 individuals were still missing, fueling concerns that the death toll could rise drastically. No one in authority knows how many people were in the tower at the time of its collapse.
‘The structure has literally pancaked,’ Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett said. “That’s devastating because it makes me less optimistic about our chances of finding people alive,” the researcher said.
It was hours after the collapse before rescuers were able to locate a toddler whose parents were missing and presumed dead. Director of Miami-Dade emergency management Frank Rollason told the Miami Herald that rescuers saved a mother and child, but the woman’s leg had to be severed to pull her from the rubble.
There was video of rescuers pulling a young boy from the rubble, although it was unclear if this was the same boy referred to by Rollason. Members of other teams were attempting to access the building through the garage.
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Governor Ron DeSantis, Who Visited The Site, Claimed That The News Coverage Downplayed the Tragedy.
Members of the rescue team are “in an attempt to save as many lives as possible. What they’re doing is ongoing, and they have no plans to stop “The man spoke up and explained.
According to Florida’s Chief Financial Officer and state fire marshal Jimmy Patronis, teams of 10 to 12 rescuers at a time entered the rubble with dogs and other equipment, working until they were fatigued from the heavy lifting, then making room for a new team.
Patronis said WPLG-TV in Miami, “They’re not going to stop simply because dusk.” There’s always the possibility that they’ll go in a different direction.
After seeing a bunk bed near the building’s now-exposed peak, Patronis said the sight drove him to tears.
He speculated that someone had been sleeping on the chair. Many “what if” scenarios come to mind.
The causes of the collapse have not been revealed by the authorities. Video footage taken from the area shows the building’s core swaying and collapsing first, followed by the section closest to the ocean. A massive dust cloud quickly engulfs the area.
The roof of the building was being repaired, but according to Burkett, it couldn’t be the reason.
Vice President Joe Biden has Pledged Federal Assistance For Any Legitimate Requests.
The mayor reported that hotels had opened their doors to evacuated citizens and that food, medicine, and other necessities were being swiftly delivered.
The mayor told reporters that about 65 out of the building’s 130 apartments were damaged. Raide Jadallah of Miami-Dade Fire and Rescue stated that as of mid-morning, rescuers had rescued at least 35 individuals from the debris and that heavy equipment was being brought in to stabilise the structure in order to increase access.
There are both seasonal and permanent inhabitants in the tower, and while the building maintains track of visitors, Burkett says that no one bothers to check in on the owners when they leave or return.
Fortuna Smukler shared news of the accident on Facebook in the hopes that her neighbours on the third floor, an elderly couple named Myriam Caspi Notkin and Arnie Notkin, would be okay.
According to North Miami Beach commissioner Smukler, who is friends with Myriam Notkin’s daughters, Arnie Notkin spent years teaching physical education at a nearby elementary school.
She commented on how popular her former P.E. instructor was among students: “He was such a well-liked P.E. Everybody has been writing, ‘Oh my god, he was my coach,'” he said.
The Only Way They Could be Recovered Alive is by a Miracle, She Said.
For hours after the collapse, Nicholas Fernandez tried to reach two friends who had been staying in the building with their small daughter. Fernandez of Miami claimed the family had fled to the United States from Argentina because of the COVID-19 epidemic.
“In the end, one can only hope that someone answers the call. That there are dogs inside is no secret to me “And he went on to say. It’s possible that what I’m saying is absurd, but until we hear otherwise, I’m going to hold out hope.
According to authorities, 22 people from South America were killed or missing in the collapse. Nine people from Argentina, six from Paraguay, four from Venezuela, and three from Uruguay were among the missing.
Some apartments in the portion of the L-shaped tower that was spared from the collapse had their walls torn down and their interiors ripped open. Beds, tables, and chairs were visible on camera inside. In certain locations, wires swung from the ceiling to support air conditioners.
Barry Cohen, 63, and his wife were reportedly sleeping in the building when he heard what he initially took to be a thunderclap. After venturing out onto their balcony, the couple opened the door leading into the hallway and witnessed “a mound of rubble and dust and smoke pouring everywhere.”
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Cohen, a Former Vice Mayor of Surfside, Remarked, “I Couldn’t Venture Out Past My Doorway.”
Eliana Salzhauer, a commissioner for the city of Surfside, told WPLG that preparations were being made to recertify the structure every 40 years, as required by county ordinance. According to Salzhauer, everything appears to be moving forward smoothly. On Wednesday, a member of the building inspection team was present.
When asked about the incident, Salzhauer demanded an explanation. “In all seriousness, that is the sole inquiry. And is it possible that it might occur again? Is there any other of our properties in town that might be in danger?”
The construction of the condos beside the water began in 1981. Two-bedroom apartments were listed for $600,000 to $700,000 there. The area’s friendly, local vibe is a refreshing change from the sparkle and glamour of neighbouring South Beach.
Apartments, houses, condos, and hotels, both new and old, dot the landscape, and the area’s restaurants and shops cater to a diverse crowd of visitors from all over the world. High-end condos with glass facades adorn the beachfront boulevard, while more basic homes may be found on the street’s interior. Some of the locals are seasonal snowbirds, others are Russian immigrants, and yet others are Orthodox Jewish families.