Authorities updates search after Surfside, FL building collapse | USA Today

The search continues for survivors two days after a 12-story beachfront condominium building collapsed just north of Miami, killing at least four people and leaving 159 more unaccounted for.

Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett told USA TODAY the rescue efforts will continue "until we pull everybody we can out of that rubble."

"We will not stop," he said. "You can count on us to continue this search until we find every person who's alive in that rubble."

Photos of the missing hung on a fence near the rubble late Friday as a burning electrical smell filled the air. A fire continued to burn beneath the rubble, officials said, despite efforts to put it out.

Around 1:30 a.m. Thursday, a wing of the residential building in Surfside, Florida, came down with a roar. Video footage captured from nearby showed the center of the building appearing to fall first, with a section nearest the ocean teetering and coming down seconds later as a huge dust cloud swallowed the neighborhood.

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#miami. #surfside #condocollapse

38 comments

  1. I call on the heavenly host now. By the power in the blood of the holy Father. I pray for all those families alive and dead. I call on the the angelic host to guide them gently now, with all love and compassion. Guide the newly departed now! Let the trumpets sound and voices be loud with cheers of joy because now they are free of time, as they were before time. Now free of time, let them see Lord! Let them see the ones they left behind are even now approaching…..just a footstep behind. Thank you for this life Father, praise be to your holy name. Let your healing stripes heal the hurting now. Bring all resources to bare on our first responders, and bless them Lord! Keep them safe while we learn how to never let it happen again. A-men.

    1. I am sure your comments went down well to all the Jewish, Muslim, and “NonParticipants” living in the buulding

    2. 24,000 children died of malnutrition yesterday and more by tomorrow. Don’t tell me there were more than 24,000 in this disaster? Think about that.

  2. I live in Los Angeles but I grew up in Florida and I spend a lot of time in South Florida. I have driven past this building. I am just devastated by the tragic news and completely perplexed as to how it could have happened. Anybody have any ideas as to what brought this building down? One thought I had was that in 1981 when this building was constructed everyone had Carpeted Floors and Formica countertops. Now all the units have Tile Floors and Quartz or Granite countertops. I’m sure that’s not the reason but the thought did pass my mind. I’m a Realtor in Beverly Hills CA and I have come across weight restrictions in Condo units in the past. Any thoughts?

    1. @Zalman thanks Zalman for all that great information. As I mentioned in my comment I said I’m sure it’s not the reason but the thought did cross my mind. But I know you’re right!

    2. There are multiple theories coming from structural engineers including the sinking, a sinkhole, and rusting of metal support beams which would sheer off and create the same look as this.

    3. @Rose Roses thanks for your comment Rose. Yes I am thinking it must be from the building sinking or maybe construction from the new building next door somehow attributed to the sinking. I’m just overwhelmed with sadness for all the victims and I’m curious to find out the final verdict as to what brought the building down.

  3. The numbers haven’t changed at all in the last 4 hours? It was 102/99 then too…. 😔 the lack of progress is very telling.

    1. The only lack of progress is in the numbers…You have no idea what they’re doing at the scene to find survivors…

  4. I’m sorry for the horrific loss of life, I will pray for all the families, I I pray firefighters can rescue as many as they can. This is nightmare stuff, having your building collapse on you, not just any building but a family complex.

    1. Usually This type of scene we say in Gaza, where the Israel Army supported and funded by the US tax money and government hitting buildings and killing civilians.

      Sad ..

  5. God bless the firefighters risking their lives, even though they know that they are only looking for miracles now. 😔

    1. 24,000 children died of malnutrition yesterday and more by tomorrow. Don’t tell me there were more than 24,000 in this disaster? Think about that.

  6. Mexico, Turkey, and Israel just had huge sinkholes out of nowhere. I feel like there was something that moved the foundation.

  7. Praying for the families of the deceased &missing❤ may our resue personnel be safe. Definitely not an accident!!!

  8. WORDS can not express how SAD this is.

    My thoughts and prayers go out to all seeking friends and family members .

    I am thinking. Why can’t the resuce team bring equipment to move the building materials and Search for people quicker instead of giving time to the press. one press release should be enough. The world needs to see action to find PEOPLE.

    I also pray for the rescue team, its a difficult task. The building might colapse buildings near by with the same defect.

  9. The building collapses because it was built with sea sand and salt eats up the metal structure

  10. @Jackson Baker
    After a successful payout and compounding interest from generating hyrule on my trade which took me five months to hit a million on my trading

  11. I’m so worried for all these collapsing structures in Miami including the one of the FIU pedestrian bridge , they should have stopped the traffic under the bridge until it was completed before it collapsed and killed the student/students , my grandson attends that University , what happened here? If they patched some concrete on this building a few years back there must have been something wrong with the structure.

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