- Title: Florida officials say dozens unaccounted for in beachfront building collapse
- Date: 24th June 2021
- Summary: SURFSIDE, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES (JUNE 24, 2021) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LOCAL RESIDENT, JUALEZCA, SAYING: "What we are seeing unfortunately is an incident where the building fell, collapsed. That was this morning. I feel so sorry for the families who are going through this. I ask God for things to improve, that they find their family members who are still inside as soon as possible. I feel great sadness for this situation. And I hope the firefighters can find the people who are inside." (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LOCAL RESIDENT, INES, SAYING: "What happened is sad. But I have the hope that the firefighters will do good work with the dogs and will find some." AERIAL VIEW OF PARTIALLY COLLAPSED BUILDING
- Embargoed: 8th July 2021 23:15
- Keywords: Miami Surfside dead missing oceanfront residential tower partial collapse rescue crews rubble
- Location: SURFSIDE, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES
- City: SURFSIDE, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Disaster/Accidents,United States
- Reuters ID: LVA003EIRIIBR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Rescue crews near Miami combed through tons of rubble on Thursday (June 24) for anyone who may have survived the predawn collapse of part of an oceanfront residential tower, with officials reporting at least one person found dead and nearly 100 more missing.
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava told reporters that 99 people were unaccounted for but that 102 people had been found safe.
Officials said the building, built in 1981, was going through a recertification process requiring repairs and that another building was being built next door, although the cause of the collapse remained unclear.
Emergency responders and officials were still looking for people who might be in the rubble, as well as trying to identify residents who were not home at 1:30 a.m. (0530 GMT), when an entire side of the building gave way and fell to the ground below.
The Champlain Towers South had more than 130 units, about 80 of which were occupied. It had been subject to various inspections recently due to the recertification process and the adjacent construction of a building called 88 Park, Surfside Commissioner Charles Kesl told Local 10.
The Miami-Dade Police have assumed control of the investigation. More than 80 fire and rescue units responded, the Miami-Dade County Fire Rescue Department wrote in a Twitter message early Thursday.
(Production: Marco Bello, Octavio Jones, Kristin Neubauer) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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