Search resumes after US condo demolished
The search of a collapsed South Florida apartment building has resumed after the remaining part of the condo was demolished with explosives as rescuers try to reach new areas of the rubble in the search for victims.
The search of a collapsed South Florida apartment building has resumed after the remaining part of the condo was demolished with explosives as rescuers try to reach new areas of the rubble in the search for victims.
After demolition crews set off the explosives a number of explosions could be heard and then the building started to fall, sending up massive plumes of dust into the air in the surrounding neighbourhoods.
Approaching Tropical Storm Elsa had added urgency to the demolition plans with forecasts suggesting the system could bring strong winds. President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency in Florida because of the storm, making federal aid possible.
Crews were to begin clearing some of the new debris so rescuers could start making their way into parts of the underground garage – which they had previously been unable to access – that is of particular interest. Once there, they were hoping to get a clearer picture of voids that may exist in the rubble and could possibly hold survivors.
Crews resumed the search for victims within a few hours of the demolition.
Through the night, rescuers had been awaiting the" all-clear" after the demolition so they could dive back into the task of trying to locate any survivors buried under the rubble as they search for 121 people believed to be trapped under the fallen wing of the Champlain Towers South in surf side that collapsed almost two weeks ago.
Officials had previously said that the search could resume from 15 minutes to an hour after the detonation.
While no other buildings in the area were evacuated, nearby residents were advised to stay indoor sand close their windows until at least two hours after the demolition.
Miami-dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said the controlled implosion went "exactly as planned".
"I feel relief because this building was unstable. The building was hampering our search efforts," she said.
No one has been rescued alive since the first hours after the June 24 collapse.
Rescuers have recovered the remains of 24 people, with 121 still missing.
Rescuers are hoping the demolition will give them access for the first time to parts of the garage area that are a focus of interest.
Once a new pathway into the initial rubble is secure "we will go back to the debris pile, and we'll begin our search and rescue efforts", Miami-dade Fire chief Albert Cominsky said.
The decision to demolish the Surfside building came after concerns mounted that the damaged structure was at risk of falling, endangering the crews below and preventing them from operating in some areas.
Parts of the remaining building shifted on Thursday, prompting a 15-hour suspension in the work, while an approaching tropical storm added urgency to the concerns on Sunday.
Meanwhile, officials are investigating other tower blocks in the area for potential structural faults.
What caused the 40-yearold Champlain Towers South to crumble remains unclear. A 2018 inspection, however, warned of "major" flaws in the original design.