The oceanfront Champlain Towers death toll has increased to 11 and about 150 people are still unaccounted for. As officials and others are looking for answers and reasons for the building’s collapse, a three-year-old report from an engineering firm has surfaced. It shows that the building had cracks and required substantial repairs amounting to almost nine million dollars.
On Saturday, the firm Morabito Consultants confirmed that their report had “detailed significant cracks and breaks in the concrete.” It said that strictures required repairs to ensure safety of its residents and the public.
The statement also said that the company was hired, once again in June 2020, to begin the 40-year recertification process that was mandatory for Champlain Towers South which was constructed in 1981.
The statement added that roof repairs were under way when the building had collapsed but work on concrete restoration had not begun.
On Friday, Mayor Charles Burkett had said that he was not sure if the mandated inspection was completed but hoped that it may contain vital clues.
The mayor also said that buildings in America do not just fall down and there had to be a reason and they needed to find that reason.
Greg Schlesinger is an attorney who specializes in construction defects and is a former construction project engineer. He said that the building collapse was a “wakeup call” for folks who lived on the beach. He said that the scary part was that collapses could occur on other buildings on the oceanfront as well.
Attorney Brad Sohn has already filed a lawsuit against the condo’s homeowner’s association asking for damages due to negligence and other reasons on behalf of all the residents. The suit stated that the association could have prevented the collapse of the condo by exercising ordinary care, safety measures and oversight.
Ken Direktor, an attorney for the Champlain Towers building association did not respond to an email sent by AP News which requested comment.
Back at the scene watching our brave men and women continue to search – sporadic fires continue. #Surfside pic.twitter.com/d7omKyDbB2
– Senator Jason Pizzo (@senpizzo) June 25, 2021
