Live Updates: About 3 million pounds of concrete removed from Florida condo collapse site
get the free appTeams working at the site of the condo building collapse in Surfside, Florida, have removed about 3 million pounds of concrete in the ongoing search for any survivors, according to officials.
The death toll rose to at least 12 on Tuesday, and 149 people are unaccounted for. No one has been pulled alive from the rubble since last Thursday, hours after the condominium crumbled in the middle of the night.
The collapse is not only one of the worst disasters in South Florida, but also in the country's history.
"This is the third largest building failure in the history of the United States – only third to Oklahoma and New York City – so we are doing everything that we can," Jimmy Patronis, Florida's chief financial officer, said, CBS Miami reported. He was referring to the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 and the terror attacks on the Twin Towers in 2001.
Authorities in Florida have asked the federal government for another rescue team to help comb through the rubble as they face the possibility of severe weather in the days ahead. Two storm systems in the Atlantic could become tropical systems, according to the National Hurricane Center, but it's unclear if they would threaten the U.S.
"There are two areas of (possible storm) development out in the Atlantic, heading to the Caribbean. We have eight urban rescue teams in Florida. We talked about doing a relief," Kevin Guthrie of the Florida Division of Emergency Management said Tuesday night. "We have all the resources we need but we're going to bring in another team. We want to rotate those out so we can get more resources out."
Contributing: The Associated Press
Area around collapse site at eerie standstill
The once bustling community of Surfside has shut down not only to mourn, but also to make way for the first responders still searching for those unaccounted for, CBS Miami reports.
"It's just sadness a lot of sadness in the community a lot of grief, it's been really hard," said Lourdes Elias, owner of Amoris Flowers.
Businesses from barbershops to restaurants along Harding Avenue near the horrific high-rise condo collapse remain at an eerie standstill.
"Even when it's busy, it's hard to get around. Ever since COVID, especially, we are so happy to see places thriving an people happy and on vacation - and it's hard to see it now," said Ronit Blisko, who lives in Surfside. "We try. We donate money, food, our time, but it doesn't feel like enough."
Collins Avenue remains closed from 81 St. to 91st St. Harding Ave. is closed as well from 81 St. to 96th St. They're both closed to the public except for those who live there, hotel staff and guests, along with business owners, employees and customers.
"Everywhere we turn its reporters, police rescue teams you name it, and the streets are empty," said Chani Lapkowski, who lives in the area.
Search continues for 7th day
The search for any survivors is continuing for a seventh day on Wednesday. Crews have worked tirelessly at the site since the collapse.
The clearing of the debris must be done delicately to prevent falling pieces of rubble from causing a shift and potentially injuring search teams or possible survivors.
"This whole scene that we are working on, I can't emphasize enough the dangers we are in countering," said Miami-Dade Fire Chief Alan Cominsky, CBS Miami reports. "So I've definitely been monitoring. We will continue to monitor. Our teams have structural engineers."
900 workers from 50 local, state and federal agencies were working seamlessly on the search, said Charles Cyrille of the Miami-Dade County Office of Emergency, the Associated Press reported.