The number of deaths due to the collapse of a twelve-story residential building in the city of Miami, in the state of Florida, has risen to nine people and there are still another 156 who are still missing.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine appeared before the media this Saturday to report on the increase in one person among those killed in the incident, according to the Fox News television network.
“Our search and rescue teams have found another body in the rubble,” said Levine, who added that, so far, only three of the victims have been identified.
Those in charge of the rescue efforts were being assisted by other agencies throughout the state, federal assets and international teams from Israel and Mexico, in a mission that remains “very active,” as specified by the mayor.
During the early hours of last Thursday, around 1.30 am (local time), the building collapsed, according to the newspaper ‘The Miami Herald’ the spokesman for the emergency services Ray Jadallah.
Most of the residents were sleeping when the incident took place. The mayor of the county regretted what happened and already announced that a “great rescue operation” was underway.
The authorities at that time asked the residents and their families to call the security forces to confirm or report the disappearance of residents, according to the CNN television network.
Structural damage
A report developed in 2018 revealed structural damage to the pool’s concrete floor, as well as signs of cracking in the parking lot of the residential complex.
“Cracking and spalling is observed at various levels in concrete columns, beams and walls, as well as several considerable detachments both in the upper part of the entrance access ramp and in the lower part of the pool floor”, according to The document.
“Although some of these damages are minor, it is necessary to repair most of the deterioration in the cement soon,” adds the document, collected by ‘New York Times’ and CNN.
The crack in the pool’s concrete was causing “major structural damage” and repair work had been unsuccessful.
The report, by Morabito Consultants, does not offer, however, any indication that the structure would collapse in the short term, while lawyers for the building’s condominium association have assured that the structure had undergone a series of inspections during the last months.
However, Levine has recognized the results of the report and has assured that it will reach its final consequences. “We are going to get to the bottom of what has happened to this particular building,” he said.
A complicated rescue
However, authorities in the Surfside neighborhood fear that rescue efforts will drag on for a week. Jadallah has specified that heavy equipment has already been moved to the area to carry out the work.
Surfside Town Commissioner Eliana Salzhauer said “it could take weeks” until it really becomes known “who is under the rubble, who has survived, and who has not.”
