Six days of research, twelve dead and 149 people still missing: the questions were becoming more pressing Tuesday on the causes of the deadly collapse of a building in Surfside, Florida, where Joe Biden will visit Thursday. Accompanied by his wife Jill Biden, the US president intends to thank the rescue teams “who work tirelessly and meet the families forced to endure this terrible tragedy,” said his spokesperson, Jen Psaki.
The twelve-story building collapsed at around 1:20 a.m. Thursday, causing one of the most serious urban disasters in US history. “It was like an earthquake,” said Janette Aguero, 46, who was on the 11th floor of the building, street side, and was able to exit the building. The wait seems endless in this small town in Florida, near Miami, where the news continues to trickle down.
1,300 tons of concrete already excavated
Two large cranes are used to carefully remove the debris. Firefighters who work day and night in the heat and humidity are supported by image and sound search technologies to locate air pockets where people may still be alive, even if the hope fades as the days go by. More than 1,300 tons of concrete have already been excavated, authorities said.
Among those still missing are dozens of Latin Americans from Argentina, Colombia, Paraguay, Chile and Uruguay. Local authorities have promised a “thorough” investigation into the causes of this deadly collapse. Could the disappearance in a cloud of dust of this building last Thursday have been avoided? The publication on Tuesday of a letter dated April from the president of the assembly of co-owners, alarmed at the state of the building, launched the debate.
$ 15 million for upgrading
The building suffered from “degradation” which “accelerated”, she warned, according to the letter unveiled by several American media. Some $ 15 million worth of work was needed to bring it up to standard, according to an estimate from the condominium. A report on the condition of the building had noted as early as 2018 “major structural damage”, as well as “cracks” in the basement of the building, according to documents released by the city of Surfside.
“The waterproofing under the edge of the swimming pool and the access road for vehicles (…) has exceeded its lifespan and must therefore be completely removed and replaced”, wrote in this document the expert Frank Morabito, claiming repairs “in a reasonable time” without however raising the risk of collapse. The investigation to find out the exact causes of the tragedy will likely take months.