On June 24th, at 1:15 am, a 12-story building in Surfside collapsed. Reportedly, more than 20 people’s deaths have been confirmed, including that of several children. The rescuing team was devastated due to the fact they didn’t find any survivors in the debris. More than 180 people have survived the horrific event and have been reported safe. The President of the United States, Joe Biden, comforted the victims’ families and offered help for the search-and-rescue operations.
The Surfside Building Collapse
Surfside is a small town in Miami-Dade County, Florida. On June 24th, a residential building collapsed late at night, and tens of individuals were found dead. The rescuing team began looking for survivors as soon as possible. Unfortunately, however, during their search, they found several more victims, one of them being a firefighter’s little daughter.
The rescuers were actively seeking survivors without stopping for more than 24 hours. During that period, more people were accounted for and were reported to be safe. The search-and-rescue operation has been temporarily stopped due to security concerns. The reason being is that the building is still not entirely collapsed. The remaining structure is considered dangerous for those standing too close to it. At present, experts are considering the full demolition of the building between the searching process.
Joe Biden Comforted the Victims’ Families in Surfside
Joe Biden expressed his condolences to the victims’ families in Surfside not only in a video on Instagram but personally, as well. On a video posted on July 1st, Joe Biden said he wished there’s something he can do to ease the pain. The current president of the United States has spent more than three hours privately speaking with people who have lost a loved one.
He tried to spend as much time as possible with each of the families gathered there, grieving with them and telling them they’re in his prayers. During those hours, Biden recalled personal traumas he went through years ago. The US President has lost his first wife and baby daughter in a car accident, and later his son died of brain cancer.
Biden tried to comfort the grievers telling them to never give up hope. He encouraged them that the rescuing team will continue their searching operation after the security of the site is affirmed. As mentioned, the process is currently on hold because the remaining parts of what used to be a residential building are still endangering.
After Biden and his wife spent more than three hours privately talking with the mourners, the President told reporters he is absolutely amazed by those people’s faith and strength. Thereafter, Jill and Joe Biden visited the Wall of Hope and Memorial where they spent a few minutes reading the letters and left flowers.
Joe Biden Offered Financial Help to People in Surfside
Not only did the President convey his condolences, but he also offered financial help to the Surfside residents. He stated that the Federal Government is able to cover 100% of the search-and-rescue operations cost. He encouraged citizens of the small town to seek assistance from Washington.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava thanked Biden for his support. She said that he has been extremely helpful and supportive since day one. After the morning briefing, the President met with numerous families; however, those meetings were out of reach for reporters. He gave everyone the opportunity to speak to him, and it was said that there were more than 200 people in the private room.
The Searching Operation: What’s Next?
As previously stated in the previous paragraphs, the search operations have been put on pause at the moment. The reason for this is the dangerous remaining structure of the twelve-story residential building. The seeking process is on hold for several days now; however, the mayor Levine Cava says that they’re doing everything possible to resume the search as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the weather has been extremely bad in the last couple of days, accompanied by heavy rains, strong winds, humidity, and thunderstorms. That increased the jeopardy rescuers would have gone through. Logically, these natural events led to further postponing of the whole operation.
What Triggered the Collapse of the Residential Building in Surfside
Many people are grieving the loss of their loved ones. Nevertheless, a number of individuals and officials with to know what caused the collapse of the residential building on June 24th. Recently, it was revealed that there were some issues with the building ever since its project has been released.
- It was stated that penthouses are not supposed to be built, and they were not part of the official construction plan. Nevertheless, the town council announced that an exception could be made, and a penthouse will not hamper the construction of the 12-floor building. Additionally, in 2018 it was reported that failed waterproofing damages the concrete structure of the building. However, no action was taken for this issue.
- In the same year, it was also stated that the cracks of the walls and the columns were abundant. It was said that the building needed a major restoration that would cost approximately $15 million. Unsurprisingly, this was neglected, as well. In 2020, Morabito Consultants wrote an extensive letter pointing out the problems associated with the residential building in question.
- On the page, it was written that the loose concrete around the pool has become a reason for the appearance of immense cracks and deterioration. During the years, many residents of the building have received letters with regard to the increasing damage. Unfortunately, as can be seen, the necessary measures have not been implemented.