Surfside building collapse death toll rises to 22; search for 126 continues

SURFSIDE, Fla. – Search-and-rescue teams looked for survivors through the 9th night and into the 10th day of a delicate operation after the Champlain Towers South collapse formed a compact mountain of pancaked concrete in Surfside. There were 126 people who remained unaccounted for Saturday.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Chief Alan R. Cominsky said he was rotating the Florida Task Force teams out of the site with teams from out of state Friday and Saturday. Gov. Ron DeSantis said they were from Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. On Friday night, some of the members of the teams had not been vaccinated against COVID-19, tested positive for the coronavirus, and had to turn back.

The search-and-rescue strategists also had Hurricane Elsa to worry about. The National Weather Service has a presence at the site to provide up-to-the-minute updates on Elsa, the tropical storm strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane Friday and threatened to affect South Florida early next week.

There are countless stories of sacrifice and heroism at 8777 Collins Ave. There have been tears at the rescuers’ tent city. The crews have worked through intermittent rain and dealt with spontaneous fires. They recovered human remains and bodies when they had hoped to find more survivors.

The official death toll was at 22.

Members of Florida Task Force 2 Miami pulled the body of a 7-year-old girl. They watched as her father, a 10-year veteran Miami firefighter, held her for one last time. The youngest victim was 4-year-old Emma Guara. Crews also recovered the bodies of her 11-year-old sister and parents. The eldest victim was 92-year-old Hilda Noriega, the mother of the North Bay Village police chief.

The unstable structure that is left standing prompted engineers to pause the operation from 2:11 a.m. to about 4:45 p.m. Thursday. There was an area that they couldn’t access.

“Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to expand our search zones due to the high concerns with the building structure,” Cominsky said.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava signed the order Friday to demolish the southeastern side of the L-shaped building. She said the top priority was to continue the search-and-rescue mission.

“It’s going to take time. It’s going to take more likely weeks,” Levine Cava said about the demolition, also adding the structure needs to come down as quickly as possible.

Federal Emergency Management Agency engineers recommended the demolition because the structure has gotten increasingly more unstable and it is threatening the lives of the hundreds of rescuers on site. Levine Cava said the building also poses a threat to the community.

Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie said search-and-rescue teams have plenty of specialized boots, socks, demolition gloves, and respirators.

Royal Caribbean has a ship at Port Miami to provide free housing to search-and-rescue teams.

Guthrie also said that in coordination with Volunteer Florida, Amazon donated items that will be used to help rescuers with their dirty laundry.

Watch the Friday afternoon news conference

Watch the Friday morning news conference

Complete coverage: Surfside Building Collapse

• HOW TO HELP: Here’s a list of resources to support those impacted by building collapse
• 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

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