Miami collapse toll has risen to five: search continues for 156 missing under rubble

Authorities reported on Saturday that five people were killed by the partial collapse of the building. So far, the toll of the tragedy was 4 dead and 159 missing.

“Today, our search and rescue teams they found another body among the rubble and, in addition, our search revealed some human remains “, Miami-Dade County Mayor said, Cava Daniella Levine, during a press conference.

With the identification of three bodies previously recovered, “This means that the missing are now reduced to 156, the confirmed deaths are now a total of five”, He said.

Rescue teams continued to scour the massive mountain of rubble with rescue dogs in search of survivors, he said. “Our top priority remains search and rescue and saving as many lives as possible.”added.

A fire this Saturday complicated the so far unsuccessful search for the missing left by the partial collapse of the building, which had “significant structural damage, ”according to a 2018 report.

“We are facing enormous difficulties with this fire”, Mayor Levine Cava had admitted earlier. The fire, of which the firefighters could not locate the source, broke out at the site of the Champlai towers., twelve floors, collapsed Thursday morning. Smoke spreads through the rubble, making some search areas inaccessible, according to the mayor.

Until now, at least five people have died after the 12-story oceanfront building in Surfside near Miami Beach, collapsed as residents slept inside early Thursday morning.

“We remain hopeful. We continue to look for survivors in the rubble, it is our priority and our teams have not stopped“The work,” said Levine Cava.

Almost a third of the missing are foreigners: nine are Argentines, six Paraguayans – including the sister of the first lady of this country – and at least four Canadians, according to the authorities.

Increasingly frustrated families are growing impatient and fearful that the high number of missing will increase the death toll.

Some relatives of the victims criticized the rescue operations as they began to lose hope. “Not a single rescuer tried to remove the rubble, little by little, even by hand, without a machine, to evacuate people”, he assured Friday Maurice Wachsmann wing AFP.

His best friend and another acquaintance of him are missing.

“My mother’s friend is there (under the rubble). We want to hope, but we have to be realistic. The next step is to be with the families and find out why this happened, ”said Mark, 55, without giving his last name.

“Our experience is that during the first 72 hours, there is a good chance that people are still alive there “, assured the chain SCS Miami-Dade County Firefighter Danny Cardeso.

Rescuers, who they hear noises emanating from the rubble but do not know if they are human, they dig a tunnel under the flooded parking lot of the building to try to reach possible survivors.

Meanwhile, near the disaster site a monument with candles, flowers and forty photos of the missing.

“We have a friend who was able to escape the building with her husband.”said Saturday to AFP Gina Berlin, 54, who has lived in the neighborhood since 1992. “I am still in shock and have come to pray for the missing.”

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