Search-and-rescue teams tunnel through pancaked concrete 3 days after building collapse

SURFSIDE, Fla. – Florida Task Force Four, a search-and-rescue team out of Orlando, arrived early Sunday morning at the site of a catastrophic building collapse in Miami-Dade County’s town of Surfside. They were wearing helmets, carrying bags with their gear, and they were ready to get to work.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Chief Alan R. Cominsky said the effort to find survivors includes robots, dogs, drones, sonar technology, cameras, and numerous teams who are taking turns to explore different sections.

Nearby at the Grand Beach Hotel Surfside, there are families who have been waiting in anguish for updates for more than three days. Their relatives had trusted that Champlain Towers South was safe enough to sleep in on Wednesday night.

Shortly before 2 a.m. on Thursday, a large section of the 12-story building collapsed. On Friday morning, when an official told them crews had found human remains, a group started sobbing. A frustrated mother told Gov. Ron DeSantis he wasn’t doing enough.

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava reported on Friday evening that there were still 156 people who remained unaccounted for. The Miami-Dade Police Department released the identities of four of the five victims who officials confirmed were dead: Stacie Dawn Fang, 54, Antonio Lozano, 83, Gladys Lozano, 79, and Manuel “Manny” LaFont, 54.

The death toll will continue to rise. Search-and-rescue teams found a body and human remains in the rubble on Saturday, and the Medical Examiner’s Office had yet to identify them when the police made the announcement.

Groups of 10 to 12 rescuers continued to tunnel through the debris by making cuts and breaches. They risked facing spontaneous fires and summer storms. Paramedic Maggie Castro, a spokeswoman for Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, said there were household chemicals and other combustible items.

Castro also said engineers were at the site reporting on the structural stability of what was left of the building. Fire Rescue personnel used heavy machinery to slowly clear away superficial metal and other unstable debris from above that could potentially fall and hurt rescuers.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue had assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and elite teams from Mexico and Israel. The Jewish community in Surfside took a big hit. There were Argentinians, Colombians, Paraguayans, Uruguayans, and a Chilean who remained unaccounted for.

Although Champlain Towers South was getting international attention, residents in other buildings in Surfside were traumatized by the tragedy.

Champlain Towers South is one of three buildings in the area by the same developer. Champlain Towers North and South were built in 1981. Champlain Towers East was built about a decade later. Still, some of the residents chose to evacuate both buildings. They too were waiting for updates from officials.

Family reunification center

The town is hosting those who are waiting for information about unaccounted relatives at the Grand Beach Hotel Surfside, at 9449 Collins Ave. Levine Cava said there are two daily briefings for relatives.

For information or to report the status of a loved one who is unaccounted for, call 305-614-1819 or 305-993-1071.

Complete coverage

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

Coverage on Saturday

• 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 Friday

• 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 Thursday

• 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