Surfside building collapse: Engineers search for clues at Champlain Towers North

SURFSIDE, Fla. – Just three properties north of the tragic collapse in Surfside, engineers were investigating the structure of a 12-story building by the same developer of the Champlain Towers South.

Engineers descended Wednesday on Champlain Towers North, at 8877 Collins Ave. Both the South and North buildings were built in 1981, with the same materials and with similar designs.

The North tower has a little more than 110 apartments. Maria Pujol, who works at the high-rise condominium, said she wasn’t afraid to go to work after the tragedy.

“I am feeling safe ... everything is okay in that building,” Pujol said calmly.

Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett said the engineers were using ground-penetrating radar, inspecting the columns, and looking for clues that could shed light on exactly why the South tower collapsed June 24.

“I believe the answer is going be found beneath the ground, beneath the building, and that is going to take a little time to get to,” Burkett said.

Champlain Towers East at 8855 Collins Ave. was built in 1994. Residents there released photographs showing damaged concrete and rust in the parking garage area. They complained when they learned an inspector found there were no structural concerns there. Some decided to evacuate.

Burkett said they are worried there may be a design issue.

“It may affect more than just these two buildings we are looking at right now, the collapsed building and the sister building, but we don’t know, but we are going to find out,” Burkett said.

Meanwhile, the search-and-rescue operation, at 8777 Collins Ave., turned into a search-and-recovery mission. The official death toll increased to 54, according to the Miami-Dade Police Department.

COMPLETE COVERAGE

Fear of unsafe buildings

July 6

• As older buildings go under microscope, historians say many should be preserved
• Forced-out condo residents in North Miami Beach don’t know when they’re coming home

July 5: Uncertainty surrounds North Miami Beach condo’s safety and when residents can return

July 4: Engineer reports Crestview Towers in North Miami Beach was safe for occupancy, attorney says

July 3: Apartment building in Miami Beach evacuated after structural issues discovered

July 2: North Miami Beach condemns ‘unsafe’ condo, evacuates about 300 residents

July 1

• Miami River condo owners paying nearly $1 mil to fix concrete erosion
• Maison Grande Condominium Association: Pending city permits delay repairs

June 30

• Miami-Dade building audit leading to dozens of buildings getting tagged for repairs
• Condominium law experts say tragedy will prompt more accountability

June 29

• Miami-Dade building audit already spotting issues
• Building collapse scares Maison Grande Condominium residents concerned about city warnings

June 28: Residential property audit announced by Miami-Dade mayor already underway

June 25:

• Surfside collapse could have impact on South Florida real estate market
• Miami-Dade building audit leading to dozens of buildings getting tagged for repairs
• Condominium law experts say tragedy will prompt more accountability

COMPLETE COVERAGE

Surfside building collapse

• HOW TO HELP: Here’s a list of resources to support those impacted by building collapse
• Profiles: More about the victims identified
• Photos: Loved ones name those they say are missing
• Photos: Search-and-rescue teams in action
• Hotline and wellness form for residents and families

The timeline of a tragedy

Coverage of July 7

• In a tragic irony, man who devoted life to structural engineering among dead in Surfside collapse
• God can do anything’: Faith remains as Surfside family waits
• Surfside victims fund to start distributing $5K per family
• Lawyers line up to make Surfside condo claims for clients
• Search of collapsed condo shifts from rescue to recovery
• Building collapse shows town’s rich, middle-class division
• Her father and uncle still missing, 12-year-old Elisheva Cohen discusses keeping positive through faith

Coverage of July 6

• Funerals for 7 victims of building collapse held in Miami Beach, Surfside, New York
• Search crews recover 8 bodies in Surfside Tuesday, death toll rises to 36
• Searchers at collapse site ‘not seeing anything positive’
• Mental health professionals called in to help first responders of Surfside collapse
• Mental health dogs on site in Surfside to help first responders deal with extreme emotional toll
• ‘We have to react’: Group raises $1.5 million for Surfside families
• Building collapse lawsuits seek to get answers, assign blame
• Experts studying Surfside collapse, remains are questioning building’s initial construction

Coverage of July 5

• Additional 3 bodies recovered overnight in Surfside, bringing death toll to 27
• Tale of rescue after falling several floors in Surfside collapse
• Identifying the remains a burdensome task in condo collapse
• Condo demolition opens up fresh rubble in collapse search
• Mayor: Crews did everything possible to find missing pets
• Surfside rabbi learns 2 of his congregants the latest to be recovered
• Tragedy at Surfside brings with it emotional toll for many
• Surfside rabbi learns 2 of his congregants the latest to be recovered

Coverage on July 4

• Demolition at site of Surfside building collapse could happen before Tropical Storm Elsa’s impact
• Surfside building collapse: Engineers prepare for demolition; search for 121 suspended
• Israeli Col. Golan Vach no longer believes there are Surfside building collapse survivors under rubble
• Surfside responds to issue of delayed building repairs
• Miami Beach residents, first responders shine light to honor Surfside victims

Coverage on July 3

• Crews on lookout for pets in Florida condo building collapse
• Remaining structure at Surfside building collapse site will be demolished
• Surfside search suspended as crew prepares for the demolition of the remainder of the building
• Demolition preparations begin at condo with storm looming

Coverage on July 2

• Miami firefighter’s daughter killed in Surfside building collapse identified as Stella Cattarossi
• Search-and-rescue team at Surfside building collapse site finds firefighter’s daughter dead
• North Miami Beach condo ordered shut, 300 residents need to leave immediately, city says
• Surfside police officers speak about initial moments after responding to collapse
• Biden has busy day following visit to Surfside

Coverage on July 1

• Biden in Surfside: We’ll ‘pick up 100% of the cost’
• ‘Waiting is unbearable’: Biden consoles Surfside families
• Death toll rises to 18 in Surfside, rescue crews pause operations due to safety concerns relating to standing structure
• Photographer, daughter and three other family members all missing in collapse
• Video shows grim reality of what rescuers are seeing at Surfside collapse site
• Safety concerns halt rescue efforts at condo collapse site
• Dispatch calls: ‘She’s stuck in between 2 beds,’ but responders couldn’t get to Surfside victim

Coverage on June 30

• Beloved ‘Dos Elenas’ legacy after Surfside tragedy will be legal reform
• Family of 4 confirmed to be among victims of Surfside building collapse
• Death toll rises in Surfside; more than 140 unaccounted for
• Rubble from Surfside condo brought to grassy field in Golden Glades’
• Ex-official who said Surfside condo was sound leaves new job
• Nonstop search efforts at Surfside building collapse site can take its toll on rescue workers
• Missing woman made phone call to her husband as Surfside condo collapsed
• Mother of North Bay Village police chief confirmed dead following Surfside collapse
• Remarkable stories of Surfside condo residents who survived by chance
• Family of missing woman files wrongful death lawsuit against Champlain Towers South Condo Association

Coverage on June 29

• ‘Something inside me said run’: Surfside survivor describes escaping as building came down
• Surfside resident lucky to be alive after spending night with girlfriend
• Champlain condo associations try to appease sister towers residents, speed up repairs
• Condominium law experts say tragedy will prompt more accountability
• Miami-Dade building audit already spotting issues
• Army of volunteers showers first responders with food, water
• Rescuers battle obstacles during their search in Surfside
• Recently married lawyer and husband missing in collapse
• Renowned civil engineer hired to investigate
• Families of Surfside victims keep hope alive by visiting condo and unifying in Bal Harbour
• Prosecutors will ask grand jury to probe building collapse
• ‘Our backyard’: Tragedy strikes home for Miami-Dade rescuers
• Biden to visit Florida building collapse on Thursday
• In collapsed building’s twin, most residents are staying put
• Surfside realtor says deadly building collapse ‘hasn’t slowed down the demand’ on beachside condos
• Beachside vigil held for victims and families of Surfside building collapse

Coverage on June 28

• Another body pulled from rubble in Surfside, bringing the total confirmed dead to 10
• Residential property audit announced by Miami-Dade mayor already underway
• Buses take loved ones of missing Surfside residents to collapse site
• 8 victims now identified following Surfside building collapse
• 88-year-old Surfside condo survivor remembers those who helped her to safety
• ‘Don’t give up hope,’ local leaders tell families of Surfside missing
• Watch out for Surfside charity scams and price gouging
• Despite warning, town deemed condo building in ‘good shape’
• Mayor: Child alone outside collapse site brings tragedy home
• Who are they? Stories of the victims of Surfside collapse
• What caused Surfside collapse? Engineer offers insight
• ‘I will miss you all my life:’ Father pens beautiful note to late son who died in the Surfside condo collapse
• Memorials grow in Surfside as desperate search for victims continues into fifth day
• Surfside collapse is ‘wake-up call,’ DeSantis says as questions remain about cause of devastating collapse

Coverage on June 27

• State fire marshal provides insight into efforts to locate victims while fighting fire
• Team of national scientists to visit Surfside collapse site
• Teams use sonar devices, lasers to aid in Surfside rescue
• Several families belonging to Miami Beach church remain missing, parishioners gather to pray and hope
• Neighboring residents express concern as investigation into Champlain Towers South collapse continues
• Buses take loved ones of missing Surfside residents to collapse site
• Remembering the dead and missing
• Search-and-rescue teams tunnel through pancaked concrete 3 days after building collapse

Coverage on June 26

• Relative of Surfside building collapse victim lashes out at DeSantis for not ‘doing enough’
• Surfside building collapse: Four out of 5 dead identified; 156 remain unaccounted for
• Missing grandparents’ landline calling from Champlain Towers South condo, family says
• Surfside tower had ‘major structural damage’ — but enough to cause a collapse?
• North Bay Village police chief’s mother has been unaccounted for since Surfside building collapse
• ‘The hope is that there are going to be miracles,’ relative of Surfside building collapse victims says
• Fire burning beneath rubble of collapsed Surfside condo hindering rescue efforts
• Surfside building collapse first responders having difficulty locating victims in massive debris pile
• Miami-Dade Mayor: ‘I’m hopeful this will be the day we have a breakthrough’
• Surfside mayor expresses concern over Champlain South’s identical sister building
• Traffic changes in Surfside area as rescue efforts continue following deadly building collapse

Coverage on June 25

• Champlain Towers South resident survives by climbing through rubble in the dark with her dog
• Teen identified after being pulled from rubble in Surfside, family confirms mother is among those dead
• Man who lives in condo looks out, tells wife ‘My parents’ apartment isn’t there’
• Surfside collapse: Family reunification center moving from community space to hotel
• First lawsuit filed after partial building collapse in Surfside
• Smoke billows out from Champlain Towers South collapse site
• Surfside officials discuss aftermath of building collapse: ‘Terrible tragedy’ to change recertification
• Israel sends help to Surfside’s Jewish community
• Amid anguish after building collapse, memorial, prayer circle help some cope with Surfside tragedy

Coverage on June 24

• Officials fear there will be many casualties after Surfside building ‘pancaked’ during collapse
• Surveillance video captures eerie moments as part of Surfside condo crashes down
• Man says all he saw was ‘white clouds of dust’
• Father remains missing; wife and daughter hospitalized after Surfside building collapse
• Surfside condo that collapsed was going through a recertification process
• After Surfside collapse do you need to worry about your building?
• Officials fear there will be many casualties after Surfside building ‘pancaked’ during collapse
• Geologist warned of instability in Surfside