© Getty Images
A portion of the 12-story condo tower crumbled to the ground during a partial collapse of the building on June 24, 2021, in Surfside, Florida.
At least one person was killed and at least 10 others injured when a 12-story apartment building near Miami partially collapsed and "pancaked" early Thursday, prompting a massive search-and-rescue effort — with 51 people still unaccounted for, officials said.
The ocean-facing portion of the 136-unit Champlain Towers South Condo on Collins Avenue in Surfside, just north of Miami Beach, collapsed about 1:30 a.m., leaving a mountain of rubble and trapping residents asleep in their beds inside.
Miami-Dade County Fire Chief Ray Jadallah said during a news conference that 55 units collapsed, and that 35 residents were rescued from the building. Two people were removed from the rubble.
One person died, 10 people were treated at the scene and two were taken to a hospital, he said.
Comment: More information from local outlet
KATU:
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said she got a call from President Joe Biden, who offered federal aid. Hotels opened to some of the displaced residents, she said, and deliveries of food, medicine and more were being hastily arranged. Rescue officials tried to determine how many people might be missing and asked residents to check in with them.
About half of the building's roughly 130 units were affected, the mayor told a news conference. Rescuers pulled at least 35 people from the wreckage by mid-morning, and heavy equipment was being brought in to help stabilize the structure to give them more access, Raide Jadallah of Miami-Dade Fire and Rescue said.
Gov. Ron DeSantis said officials were "bracing for some bad news just given the destruction that we're seeing."
The collapse, which appeared to affect one leg of the L-shaped tower, tore away walls and left a number of homes in the still-standing part of the building exposed in what looked like a giant dollhouse. Television footage showed bunk beds, tables and chairs inside. Air conditioners hung from some parts of the building, where wires now dangled.
Piles of rubble and debris surrounded the area, and cars up to two blocks away were coated with with a light layer of dust from the debris.
UPDATE 25/06/2021: The death toll continues
to rise, standing now at 4 confirmed dead with 159 missing:
As of Friday morning, 159 people remain missing, up from the previous tally which showed 99 individuals unaccounted for. Three additional bodies have been pulled from the rubble, bringing the official death count to four. Eleven injuries have been reported, with four people receiving hospital treatment.
The 12-story structure experienced catastrophic structural failure on Thursday, affecting around half of the building's roughly 130 apartment units. Emergency workers were able to rescue at least 35 people in the first hours following the collapse.
Rescue operations continued through the night. Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said that the search would continue and there was still hope that more people would be found alive. Workers are using "everything possible" - including sonar technology, cameras, and specially trained dogs - to assist with the search, the mayor said.
There have been isolated fires reported among the rubble, and what remains of the building is considered structurally unsound, making rescue efforts a dangerous endeavor.
A reunification center has been set up near the site, where people have waited for news about their loved ones, as well as the results of DNA tests being used to identify victims.
President Biden declared the collapse a
national emergency:
The order, which went into effect on Thursday, will allow the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and other federal agencies to provide assistance to state and local authorities currently sifting through the rubble.
The declaration specifically authorizes FEMA to mobilize recruitment and resources in order to "alleviate the impacts of the emergency." Federal agencies will also help with debris removal, the declaration, which went into effect on Thursday, stated.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a decree earlier declaring a state of emergency for Miami-Dade County, in an effort to speed up federal assistance for the rescue operation.
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