Demolition crews move in at condo tower amid storm fears

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By REBECCA SANTANA and BOBBY CAINA CALVAN

SURFSIDE, Fla. (AP) — Rescue crews made way for demolition teams at the site of a collapsed South Florida condo building as officials shifted their focus to bringing down the unstable remainder of the structure ahead of a tropical storm.

The search and rescue mission was suspended Saturday afternoon so workers could begin the precarious business of boring holes to hold explosives in the concrete of the still-standing portion of the Champlain Towers South tower in Surfside, Miami-Dade Assistant Fire Chief Raide Jadallah told relatives awaiting word on missing loved ones.

Jadallah said the suspension was a necessary safety measure because the drilling could cause the structure to fail. If that were to happen, he said, “It’s just going to collapse without warning.”

But in a video stream of Jadallah’s closed-door briefing to relatives of the missing, one of them was heard calling it “devastating” that the search was on pause. She asked whether rescuers could at least work the perimeter of the site so as not “to stop the operation for so many painful hours.”



Members of the South Florida Urban Search and Rescue team walk near the Champlain Towers South condo building, where scores of victims remain missing more than a week after it partially collapsed, Saturday, July 3, 2021, in Surfside, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/fl-state-wire-surfside-building-collapse-storms-business-96030f2bf7cedd81ee5043e4568971b3

[Ligyron]

1. Well, we know there have been cases of people surviving more than a week under rubble.

But that’s pretty rare I think. Still it must be devastating for the families.

[drray23]

2. the part they are collapsing is not on the debris field. it's on the side

so suppositly it won't collapse on top of the debris field .

[Politicub]

8. I can't imagine how the families must feel

The tower being demolished will be removed quickly. That way, they’ll be able to get to the collapsed building from the side.

The people who were evacuated from the standing tower will not be able to retrieve any personal items or pets. They have their lives, but it’s still sad.

[XanaDUer2]

3. I feel for the relatives

but imagine if that standing part fell on rescuers. Their safety has to be considered.

Someone may be alive, but it's very unlikely. I hope mental health counselors are helping relatives start to accept this is no longer rescue, but recovery.

Sad all around

[oldsoftie]

4. With a pancake collapse, finding survivors is unlikely

Such a shame for everyone

[XanaDUer2]

6. Yes

when I see how flat the pile is, I fear bodies are between the slabs.

[Chainfire]

5. Bringing down the rest of the building in a controlled fashion will make it far safer for the live

people who are trying to recover dead bodies. Where is may be imperative to work with the damaged building looming over you for a rescue mission, that risk doesn't need to be taken for the recovery of bodies. The demolition should speed up the process and help families to closure sooner. I suspect that starting tomorrow we will see much more aggressive methods of moving the debris from the original collapse. It is time.

[bucolic_frolic]

7. Wonder if residents in the rest of the building were able to salvage much

[Politicub]

9. No. They immediately evacuated the building, and

didn’t have time to grab much of anything, including pets. It’s so sad.

No one is being allowed in to retrieve anything because it’s so unsafe.

[NH Ethylene]

10. That has to be awful, knowing their pets and treasured belongings are sitting up there

And not being able to get them.

[Scruffy1]

11. The demolition guys are heroes.

Going into an unsafe structure and drilling the holes, setting the explosives and wiring the whole thing up is some hairy stuff. I've done
dynamiting, but never with a million pounds ready to come down on my head.