Rescue workers searched through the night Thursday into Friday to attempt to find residents presumed to be in the rubble and mangled debris of the massive Miami condo collapse. As of midnight on June 25, 2021, 99 residents of the Champlain Towers South remain unaccounted for despite intensive ongoing search and rescue efforts.
The possibility does exist that at least some of the 99 missing residents were not in the building at the time of the collapse. With that said, has been a growing belief throughout the past day that most people not in the building at the time of the collapse have been identified. The building is home to year-around residents and snowbirds alike, snowbirds being individuals who typically spend the winter months in South Florida.
Officials Respond to Miami Condo Collapse at Press Conference
A number of local, state, and federal governmental officials were on hand at a Thursday evening press conference to recap the day’s rescue efforts at the Champlain Towers South. Among the presenters was Miami-Dade Fire Chief Alan Cominsky. He advised that rescue crews were to continue to work through the night in an effort to find victims in the remnants of the collapsed structure. He indicated that rescue personnel had not given up hope of finding more survivors in the wreckage.
Despite the pledge to continue search and rescue operations overnight, thunderstorms complicated the nighttime efforts. Cominsky confirmed that the efforts of rescue workers certainly were challenging after nightfall, the situation aggravated by the storms. With that said, he made it abundantly clear that the rescue crew most definitely was not giving up despite these obstacles.
The Surfside, Florida, building disaster occurred in the Congressional district of Representative Debbie Wasserman-Schultz. At an 8:00 o’clock news conference at the site of the devastation, Congresswoman Wasserman-Schultz summed up her view of the deadly catastrophe, which is shared by many:
“I will tell you after spending the bulk of the day here that this is a tragedy without precedent in the United States of America. Devastation that I witnessed today is the likes of which I've never seen in other nations.”
Florida U.S. Senator Marco Rubio was also at the evening press conference and remarked:
“This is a dark and tragic day, and we continue to pray for some miracles. We're inspired by the men and women who are out there right now.”
Cause of Collapse Still Unknown, Theory Put Forward
The cause of the Miami condo collapse remained officially unknown 24 hours after the calamity. With that noted, a researcher who had been involved in investigating the structural status of the 12-story building made public his findings that the structure has been sinking into the ground since the 1990s. Shimon Wdowinski is a professor in the Department of Earth and Environment at Florida International University.
He indicated that his study revealed that the now-significantly destroyed building had been sinking at what he believed at the time was an alarming rate. Wdowinski has made it clear that he cannot form a causal link between the sinkage and the deadly collapse at this juncture in time. Nonetheless, at the time of his study, he noted that the sinkage likely had created at least some level of structural instability in the Surfside condominium building.
Answers to Questions Available from Miami Building Collapse Lawyers
If you or a family member have suffered injuries or losses as a result of the Champlain Towers South catastrophe, a Miami condo collapse lawyer is available to you by calling The Doan Law Firm at (786) 671-0000. A consultation can be scheduled with a Miami condo collapse attorney any time that is convenient for you. An appointment can be arranged at our firm’s Miami offices located at:
801 Brickell Center
Suite 900
Miami, Florida 33131
(786) 671-0000
We can also schedule a consultation in Surfside or at any other location convenient for you. This includes a virtual appointment online.
The Doan Law Firm never charges a fee for an initial consultation with a Miami condo collapse lawyer. Indeed, our firm never charges a feel at all unless we win your case for you.
During these trying times, our Miami condo collapse hotline is staffed around the clock, seven days a week, including all major holidays. Our caring legal team is here for you.