Death Toll Rises in Building Collapse In Florida

An update on the partial building collapse in Florida. As of this morning, the death toll has risen to at least 10 while 151 people are still unaccounted for and 134 have been accounted for. Those unaccounted for are from at least 9 countries which includes 6 Latin American countries and multiple faith communities. Throughout the weekend, search and rescue crews continued the race to find survivors.  Families of the victims will be bused to the site today from the family reunification center around 2 p.m. Yesterday 200 people visited the site. The Champlain Towers South building collapsed on Thursday morning in the town of Surfside which is only a few miles north of Miami Beach Florida. The cause of the collapse is still unknown and an inspection report from 2018 showed that a structural engineer noted breaks and cracks in the concrete of the building.

Florida Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz is calling for a review of other buildings along the coastline. She said many of the buildings “date back to the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s and we’re going to need to make sure there’s a comprehensive review.” The National Institute of Standards of Technology will be working to figure out what happened to the building. According to Stephanie Severino the Director of Communications for the City of Miami, on Friday the city sent letters to other buildings that are over 6 stories and more than 40 years old urging them to get an inspection from a qualified structural engineer. They are being asked to respond within 45 days with any structural concerns.