SURFSIDE, Fla. — A tower of an oceanfront condominium that's given occupants beachfront views of the Atlantic Ocean came crashing down Thursday morning when 55 units of Champlain Towers South collapsed.
Many people inside were tucked into their beds when the building partially collapsed around 1:30 a.m. First responders have been on scene for hours to help rescue those in the building and among the rubble.
Assistant Fire Chief of Operations Ray Jadallah of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue says at least 35 people have been rescued from the collapse site with two people being pulled from the rubble. Rescue crews are still working to "tunnel in" and locate additional survivors.
Champlain Towers South is one of three towers that makes up the Surfside high-rise development standing 12 stories tall. The 135 unit building built in 1981 is comprised of 1-4 bedroom condos that come with a price tag as high as $699,000, according to Miami Condo Investments.
The building that sits at 8777 Collins Avenue turned 40 years old this year, putting it just shy of needing recertification, according to Miami-Dade County Code.
"All buildings, except single-family residences, duplexes and minor structures which are forty (40) years or older must be recertified by the Building Official when the structure becomes 41 years old and then every 10 years after the first Recertification," a section of that code reads.
Surfside Mayor Charles W. Burkett says there has been regular roof work occurring on the building that collapsed. It's not immediately clear if this contributed to the situation.
"There's no reason for this building to go down like that. Unless someone literally pulls out the supports from underneath, or it gets washed out, or there's a sinkhole or something like that," Burkett added.
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