Rubble hangs from a partially collapsed building in Surfside north of Miami BeacH
SURFSIDE (Florida, US), June 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least three people have died and up to 99 are missing after a multi-story building partially collapsed in southern Florida’s Miami-Dade County early Thursday morning..
Champlain Tower South — a 12-story residential condo in the beachside town of Surfside, about 6 miles north of Miami Beach — has 136 units, and 55 have collapsed, officials said.
As search efforts continue, Miami-Dade Mayor Charles W. Burkett says at least 102 people have been declared safe, 3 were killed and 99 are unaccounted.
The Paraguayan president’s sister-in-law and her family are among the missing, the country’s foreign ministry confirmed. The first lady’s sister Sophia Lopez Moreira, her husband Luis Pettengill, their three unidentified children and nanny Lady Luna Villalba were in the building at the time of the collapse, officials said.
Burkett said at least 10 people, including the person who died, were treated for injuries on-site. One person was taken to the hospital in critical condition. He added that 15 families walked out of the building on their own.
The mayor said the collapse happened around 1:03 a.m. — meaning the building was likely filled with sleeping residents — and fears the death toll could rise.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called the incident a “tragic, tragic situation.”
“We’ll hope for the best in terms of additional recoveries, but we are bracing for some bad news just given the destruction we are seeing,” he said during a press conference.
A massive search and rescue operation was underway into the morning, as crews carefully checked the wreckage and remaining structure for survivors.
Footage from the scene showed firefighters pulling a boy from the rubble alive and rescuing other people from balconies.
The Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said it has sent more than 80 units to the scene. Multiple police and fire departments from across Miami-Dade County were deployed to assist, according to the Miami Beach Police Department. People in neighboring buildings have been evacuated to a nearby recreational center, one witness said.
Officials remain concerned about a secondary collapse as search and rescue efforts are underway. A storm also hit the area, further complicating rescue efforts.
It was unknown what caused the collapse.
The seaside condo development was built in 1981 in the southeast corner of Surfside. It had a few two-bedroom units currently on the market, with asking prices of $600,000 to $700,000.
The area has a mix of new and old apartments, houses, condominiums and hotels, with restaurants and stores serving an international combination of residents and tourists. The community provides a stark contrast from bustle and glitz of nearby South Beach with a slower-paced neighborhood feel. — NNN-AGENCIES
