Rainy night, lack of stability challenge heroes at building collapse site in Surfside

SURFSIDE, Fla. – Search-and-rescue teams had been training for a tragedy that they had hoped would never come. All of their work after earthquakes overseas had paid off. Their experience would help them find survivors on Thursday in Miami-Dade County’s town of Surfside.

Shortly before 2 a.m., a part of the L-shaped Chaplain Towers South, at 8777 Collins Ave., crumbled. It was dark, cloudy, and windy. Residents of the 12-story building panicked. Fire Rescue personnel had to evacuate the southern section and search for survivors in the northern area.

“At 6 a.m. this morning, we shifted our operations from the inside of the building to underneath the rubble,” said Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Ray Jadallah.

The rain flooded some of the air pockets. Dogs, drones, and modern technology such as passive infrared sensors to detect heat radiation were on their side.

There were many moments of hope. A group of heroes pulled a boy from under the rubble. The boy wrapped his arms around tightly around a firefighter. There were more than 80 units from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. Many agencies responded to help.

Rescuers had to get people out of balconies that lacked stability. Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said there were more than 130 units and 55 had collapsed.

Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett said there was ongoing roof work in the building, which was in the process of recertification. Structural inspections were required.

President Joe Biden’s administration stepped in to help after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an emergency order. The Federal Emergency Management Agency first dispatched two teams.

Complete coverage

• HOW TO HELP: Surfside wants you to ‘support those impacted’ by building collapse
• WATCH LIVE: At least 1 dead, 99 others unaccounted for after partial building collapse in Surfside
• Loved ones name those they say are missing
• Hotline and wellness form for residents and families
• 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
• Photos: Building in Surfside partially collapses
• 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

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