SURFSIDE, Fla. – Authorities halted a search and rescue project at the collapsed condo in Surfside, Florida, Saturday afternoon as crews were ready to demolish the rest of the building.
Miami-Dade Deputy Fire Chief Raide Jadallah told family members that rescuers stopped their search around four in the afternoon when demolition crews began drilling holes in the concrete of a portion of the towers south champlain that are still standing.
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava told an upcoming news conference that the suspension of the search for transience and that the government was waiting for the green light from engineers to resume did not give an estimate of the length of the pause.
As Tropical Storm Elsa approached, the government feared that the state component of the tower would collapse on its own. The typhoon is looming in the Caribbean and is expected to move to the state in the coming days.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the construction was “unstable” and “structurally flawed” and that its demolition was the most prudent thing to do.
“The concern was that (Elsa) could demolish the building and demolish it in the direction,” added Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett.
Officials told members of the family circle that Monday would be the first day the building would be demolished.
“We still hope to continue with the demolition before the typhoon. Of course, we also expect the typhoon to pass in another direction, but we continue as temporarily as possible,” Cava told reporters.
He added that evacuations of other nearby buildings were necessary.
A state of emergency was also declared prior to the arrival of the typhoon.
Authorities on Saturday announced a temporary pause in the search and rescue project at the collapsed condo in Surfside, Florida, as the team prepares to demolish the still-standing portion of the Champlain South towers.
RELATED: Rescuers couldn’t save a woman trapped in the debris of a condo cave who called for help, according to the head of the chimney.
Meanwhile, Jadallah said to avoid seeking a mandatory protective measure as drilling can cause the design to collapse. If so, he said, “It will just collapse without warning. “
The suspension sparked fear among a circle of family members who called it “devastating. “
Others had asked to be allowed to return to construction to collect non-public belongings, but will be allowed to do so.
“At the end of the day, this construction is too damaging to let other people through,” DeSantis said. “I know there are a lot of other people who have been able to get out, thankfully, who have things out there. We’re very sensitive to that, but I don’t think it’s imaginable to let anyone get into this construction given the way it’s now ”.
Early Saturday, Cava said two more bodies had been discovered in the rubble, bringing the death toll shown to 24, and that 121 people were still missing.
No one has been rescued since the first few hours after the june 24 collapse.
RELATED: Calls were heard moments after a condo collapse, while others narrowly escaped
Cava also previously said that at least 3 sweeps had been performed, some through the camera, on the component of the immobile state complex of the animals that were left behind, and said none were found.
“I perceive very well that pets are part of people’s family,” the mayor said, noting that she also had a pet. “My center is going out to those who care about their animals, and I just need them to know that additional efforts have been made and are being made. “
Cava said he informed a contractor of imaginable places where they lack pets. “They’re aware and they’re doing everything they can do just to do some additional research,” he said.
But the mayor said there would be no door-to-door search because it’s too harmful to do so.
Later, on Saturday, a small moment of hope was born in the midst of the devastation: a cat noticed it wandering a low floor.
Crews hoped to place a trap on the balcony so the feline could be saved. It may not be without delay to decide whether the animal belonged to one of the citizens evacuated from the building.
Advertising
This story was reported from Detroit, the Associated Press contributed.