Status: 25.06.2021 3:34 p.m.
Rescue workers searched the collapsed skyscraper for survivors all night. In the morning the mayor reports four dead. 159 people are still missing. There is little hope for them.
After the partial collapse of a twelve-story apartment building near Miami Beach, the death toll has risen to four. 159 people are still missing. The Mayor of Miami-Dade County, Daniella Levine Cava, announced at a press conference. “Unfortunately it was a tragic night.”
Another 159 missing after the partial collapse of a high-rise in Miami
daily news 8:00 p.m., June 25, 2021
Further fatalities feared
Since the collapse on Wednesday night, rescue workers have searched tons of rubble for survivors. According to the US media, sniffer dogs, special cameras and listening devices were also used. Every now and then knocking noises could be heard from the meter-high mountains of rubble, reported US media.
“We’re not going to give up,” said Surfside Township Mayor Charles Burkett. The rescuers are still on duty around the clock. However, rain made the search more difficult. It is feared that the number of deaths could rise significantly, it said in media reports.
The cause is still unclear
How many people were in the building at the time of the accident is still unclear. The cause is also unknown. An investigation is in progress. Mayor Cava said the building had apparently collapsed due to structural problems. Structural engineers and firefighters would now work together to support the part of the building that was still standing.
The partially collapsed residential building near Miami in the US state of Florida.
Image: REUTERS
The media reported work on the roof of the building – whether the accident was related, but has not been proven. According to the “Miami Herald”, there were more than 100 apartments in the house with sea views, which is also known as the Champlain Towers. It was built in the 1980s. Only recently, the building was examined as part of a routine inspection by experts, said city councilor Charles Kesl.
State of emergency declared
To release additional funds and material after the disaster, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency. This was confirmed by President Joe Biden so that federal funds could also be made available. The disaster control agency FEMA is also involved.