Why did Surfside condominium collapse? And who is to blame for this deadly tragedy? | Editorial
New security camera video of the partial collapse at the Champlain Towers South Condo from a neighboring high rise is both chilling and revealing.
It shows that two, not one section of the building collapsed, one seconds after the other. The grainy video comes with a warning to viewers because of what it likely signifies: multiple casualties.
It will take a while to find out what happened, but we must learn who, or what is to blame for the horrific partial collapse of a 12-story oceanfront condo tower Thursday morning on Collins Avenue in the town of Surfside.
And then never allow it to happen again, and punish those responsible, if need be. Let’s hope human greed or carelessness are not responsible.
As the sun came up Thursday, the oceanside section of the Champlain Towers South Condo, at 8777 Collins Ave. looked like a victim of an air bombing in a war zone. It collapsed at 1:20 a.m.
The concrete that slipped off the side of the tower, built in 1981, was a giant pile of rubble in the rear of the building. Rescuers from Miami-Dade and Boward counties rushed to save the living, some from their balconies.
As the sun came up, rescuers, with cadaver dogs, then were searching for the missing, the unaccounted for. At least one person was killed. But what the rubble has buried within is difficult to know. A community is bracing itself, so are families of the loved ones unaccounted for.
Imagine the horror of being asleep, safe in bed, when the building gives away around you.
Dazed residents, many in nightclothes, told reporters what they heard living through the collapse: an earthquake, a freight train coming, a bomb going off.
Experts watching the photos of the dramatic event already were scratching their heads: This just does not happen, one said. Buildings are not designed to collapse this way. We agree. So what happened here?
Finding out what caused such a massive structural failure will likely play out much like the aftermath of a plane crash: There will be several critical components found that led to the catastrophic event. But we need to know what those weaknesses were.
The building was up for its 40-year inspection, but there was also roof work being done and heavy construction nearby. One resident told reporters the pavers in the tower’s pool area had recently cracked, and that there was daily construction pounding. There was also a giant construction crane in the area.
Who knows what role, if any, all these elements played in creating a perfect storm of a tragedy.
Yes, investigators must get to the bottom of this horrible tragedy. The sooner the better.
But first, let’s ensure that the community comes to the aid of the survivors, who have no place to call home anymore.
Families who have relatives and acquaintances who live or work in Champlain Towers South and are unaccounted for, can call hotline 305-614-1819 to notify officials.
