They find four bodies and nine died in a building collapse in Miami

More than 150 people are still missing

The death toll from the partial collapse of a residential building in the city of Surfside, neighboring Miami, Fla., Has risen to nine after the discovery of four bodies, authorities in the U.S. city have reported, as more than 150 people are still missing. , among them, nine Argentines.

“We found four other bodies in the rubble, as well as human remains,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava., during a press conference, without taking into account the evolution of the number of missing, which was 156 at the end of the day.

None of the new deaths have been identified, but Levine Cava said “everything is being done” to do so as soon as possible, according to the Miami Herald newspaper.

Levine Cava told this newspaper that they have “very frank conversations” with the families, “they certainly know that we find remains and even that we find parts of the body, so they prepare for it. “

Meanwhile, Israeli and Mexican rescuers have worked tirelessly with their American colleagues to find survivors of this disaster.

The search is carried out day and night without interruption, with two large cranes to carefully remove debris as rescuers patrol the ruins of the collapsed building in Surfside, near Miami Beach with trained dogs.

“Progress is being made. We have a lot of rescue teams in place,” said Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett., to the ABC network, recalling that a group from Mexico is already present.

“We are not short of resources, we are short of luck. We need more luck,” he explained.

A team of ten Israeli experts arrived on Sunday to support their American colleagues.

“It is one of the best rescue teams, if not the best and the most experienced,” said Nachman Shai, Israeli minister. for Disspora Juda Affairs, on his arrival on the scene, quoted by the AFP agency.

Many of Surfside’s Jewish community are among those affected by the incident that happened Thursday morning, and Israel has pledged to help.

There are about 2,500 Jews in Surfside – about half the population – and many of them are members of the Chabad-Lubavitcher Hasidic movement., according to Israeli media.

Although authorities have not determined the reason for the collapse, which could take months, a 2018 building condition report found “significant structural damage” and “cracks” in the basement.

According to the study, the building required repairs and works worth more than nine million dollars, including 3.8 million just for the garage and swimming pool, which should have been properly waterproofed, which was not done.

Almost three years before the Champlain Towers waterfront condo collapsed near Miami, an engineering firm estimated major repairs to the building would cost more than $ 9 million, according to recently released emails, according to the ANSA agency report.

The Morabito Consultants email was one of a series of documents released by the town of Surfside, Miami-Dade County.

The publication of the 2018 estimate follows the publication of another company document showing that the pool deck on the ground floor of the building rested on a concrete slab that showed “significant structural damage” and required comprehensive repair.

This report also revealed “abundant cracks and splinters” of columns, beams and walls. concrete in the parking lot.

The report did not warn of the imminent danger of the damage and it is not clear whether any of the damage observed was responsible for the collapse of the Champlain South Towers, which is under investigation.

The cost estimate showed that repairs to the entire building would cost more than $ 9.1 million, and the cost of the work on the garage, driveway and pool deck would be over $ 3. $ 8 million.

The work was not finished when the building collapsed.

The previous report noted that the waterproofing under the pool deck had failed and was improperly laid flat rather than sloping, preventing water from draining.

“Failed waterproofing causes significant structural damage to the structural concrete slab below these areas,” the report said.

Repair work was not complete when the building collapsed

If waterproofing is not replaced “in the near future, the extent of concrete deterioration will increase exponentially,” the report said..

The company recommended that damaged tiles be replaced in what would be a major repair.

The report also noted that many of the building’s previous attempts to repair columns and other damage with epoxy (a special resin) were flawed and failed.

Under the pool deck “where the slab had been epoxy injected, new cracks radiated from the originally repaired cracks,” the report notes.

These are all issues that should have been addressed quickly, said Gregg Schlesinger, a construction default lawyer and former construction project engineer, as quoted by local press.

“The building speaks to us. It tells us that we have a serious problem,” Schlesinger said, adding, “All of these were red flags that needed to be addressed and they were not.”

In a statement, Morabito Consultants confirmed that its report “detailed significant cracks and ruptures in the concrete, which required repairs to ensure the safety of residents and the public.”

The company said it was rehired in June 2020 by Champlain Towers South to begin the 40-year recertification process that would detail the work to be done.