Miami building collapse: No more survivors found overnight as fire hinders rescue efforts

Video captures harrowing moment of Florida building collapse leaving 51 missing

There has been no update to the number of survivors from the Miami building collapse overnight on Friday, officials said.

Rescue teams were still working to locate 159 unaccounted for people after the 12-storey Champlain Towers South building fell on Thursday. Four people have been confirmed dead.

One problem impacting the search efforts was a fire that’s burning deep within the rubble from the collapse.

Authorities were now working to locate the source of the fire, or fires, while also finding ways to still search for any possible survivors.

More fatalities are expected as authorities warned the number of missing from the collapsed apartment complex in Florida could increase from the current figure of 159.

Meanwhile, a researcher at Florida International University has revealed that the building had been sinking into the ground since the 1990s.

Firefighters rescued 35 people from the Champlain Tower South building that collapsed in the middle of the night on Thursday in Surfside, a beachside town just 6 miles (9.6 km) north of Miami.

Those with family members who may have been in the building at the time of its collapse are asked to call 305-614-1819. More information here.

Key points

• Pregnant British mother, husband and daughter thought to be among missing
• Miami building collapse: Rescuers hear ‘banging’ as Florida declares state of emergency
• Joe Biden’s responds to Miami condo collapse
• Rescuers pull a boy from the rubble, as search ongoing
• Death toll rises to four - mayor
• Dramatic video shows moment of building collapse
• Governor Ron DeSantis says to expect ‘bad news’
• Relatives of Paraguay’s First Lady among dozens of people missing after Florida building collapse

[24 June 2021 22:05 · Justin Vallejo]

Sonar reveals ‘banging’ from beneath the rubble that could be survivors

Fire rescue crews said sonar searches of the rubble have heard what could be survivors “banging” beneath the wreckage.

“We haven’t heard voices. We did receive what sounds like people banging, well not people but what sounds like banging.”

[24 June 2021 22:06 · Justin Vallejo]

Latest updates on deceased, injured, missing and survivors

• 102 have been “accounted for”
• 99 remain missing “at least”
• 35 victims were rescued from the structure
• 2 were rescued from rubble
• 11 were treated for injuries
• 4 were transported to hospital
• 1 has been confirmed dead

[24 June 2021 22:41 · Justin Vallejo]

BREAKING: Rescuers say they can hear ‘what sounds like banging’ as they search for missing 99

Rescue crews using soar to search for survivors revealed they hear what could be people “banging” beneath the rubble of the collapsed apartment building in Miami.

Assistant chief of operations Ray Jadallah told reporters that the sonar sound devices from various areas inside the debris have detected signs that could potentially be from some of the 99 people still missing.

“We did receive sounds, not necessarily people talking, but sounds,” Mr Jadallah said.

“What sounds like people banging, well not people but sounds of a possibility of a banging, short of that we haven’t heard any voices coming from the pile.”

[24 June 2021 22:53 · Nathan Place]

Rep Debbie Wasserman Schultz visits collapse site, calls disaster ‘enormously devastating'

Rep Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who represents the Florida district where the building collapsed, visited the disaster site on Thursday.

‘The humanity that we see, the evidence of people living their daily lives and everything evaporating in an instant is just enormously devastating,’ the congresswoman said afterward.

Ms Wasserman Schultz said she would work to make sure there’s “no daylight” between the federal, state, and local governments as they work to provide aid to the victims.

Rep Debbie Wasserman Schultz speaks to reporters after visiting the site where a Miami residential building collapsed (WSVN)

[24 June 2021 23:15 · Nathan Place]

Firefighters search through collapsed building’s basement for survivors

The Miami-Dade fire department has posted a video of rescue workers continuing to search for survivors in the basement of Champlain Tower South.

“Firefighters continue working on locating possible victims, while dealing with heavy damage and changing conditions in the parking garage,” Miami-Dade Fire Rescue wrote in a tweet of the video, which showed rescuers searching through a dark, flooded basement filled with debris.

[24 June 2021 23:40 · Nathan Place]

Florida governor declares state of emergency, enlisting federal government’s help

Florida governor Ron DeSantis has signed an order declaring a state of emergency, which will allow the state to receive aid from the federal government.

“Because of the foregoing conditions, I declare that a state of emergency exists in Miami-Dade County,” Mr DeSantis wrote in the order.

Earlier today, President Biden promised to deliver such aid if requested. The help will come from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA.

[25 June 2021 00:28 · Justin Vallejo]

Miami building collapse: Rescuers hear ‘banging’ as Florida declares state of emergency

As survivors at the family reunification centre in Miami spoke to the media, horrific details emerged of the chaos in the darkness of night as people fled the storm of concrete and steel.

“Everybody was screaming and panicking… once you got down to the lobby… it was filled with nothing but dust and debris.” Aaron Miles told CNN. “It was awful. Kids, grownups screaming. Women and children crying. It was probably one of the worst experiences I’ve ever witnessed in my life.”

Read the full recap of the day’s events:

[25 June 2021 01:30 · Justin Vallejo]

Watch: Video captures harrowing moment of Florida building collapse leaving dozens missing

The dramatic moment Champlain Tower South collapsed into itself was captured from nearby security camera footage.

Watch it below:

[25 June 2021 02:30 · Justin Vallejo]

Relatives pray for information as 99 people remain missing

More than 100 people gathered at the Surfside Community Center on Thursday, waiting for more information about their friends and family who loved in the 12-storey apartment building, writes The Independent’s Graeme Massie.

“Soriya Cohen showed a picture of her husband, Brad Cohen, who she said is missing after the partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South building. Luz Marina held up a picture of her aunt, Marina Azen, who she said is missing after the shocking incident. Sergio Barth of Miami, whose brother Luis Barth, 51, was visiting town from Colombia with his wife and daughter and was staying at a friend’s apartment in the damaged side of the building. Luis Pettengill and Sophia López Moreira, who is a sister of the first lady, Silvana López Moreira, are unaccounted for along with an employee and the couple’s three children.”

[25 June 2021 03:30 · Justin Vallejo]

ICYMI: Boy pulled out of rubble after Miami building collapse

As first responders searched for survivors following a deadly building collapse in southern Florida’sMiami-Dade County early Thursday morning,firefightersmanaged to rescue a young boy, with video capturing the moment they pulled him out from the rubble.

In the video, several firefighters can be seen lifting the boy from the rubble before one first responder lifts the child over his shoulder and begins to carry him away.

Chantal da Silva covered the story.