Surfside Condominium Collapse

By: Luciana Molina

Champlain Towers South Condo Building collapsed on June 24, 2021, at approximately 1:22 am EDT. The 12 story, 136 unit building was located on the beachfront of Surfside, Miami. The partial collapse of the building caused the death of 98 people and there were only 3 survivors from the initial collapse. 36 people were able to escape from the portion of the building that was still standing. This was marked as one of the worst building collapses in U.S. history. 

The common question still remains, “Why did the building collapse and what was wrong with it?” An investigation unfurled that would last approximately 2 years. Every piece of evidence must be scrutinized. According to the latest statement of Tallahassee.com “This is the most complex building failure investigation ever undertaken.” The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) received 22 million dollars to assist with the investigation. 

Investigations have revealed that the collapse began when the ground floor parking lot and pool deck started to cave in. The investigators found that the design failure, poor construction, and neglect to care for the space over the course of the past 40 years contributed to the eventual collapse.

Sources:

–Surfside condominium collapse: Still searching for answers in the rubble – 60 Minutes – CBS News

–One Button Could Have ‘Saved More Lives’ in Surfside Condo Collapse