Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Surfside building collapse: Condo firefighters honour missing children with touching tribute

Witness says ‘they placed the toys, and they had tears in their eyes’

Gino Spocchia
Tuesday 29 June 2021 19:27 BST
Comments
'Like the Trade Center': Fire rescue radio call released from Florida building collapse

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Firefighters are reportedly collecting toys found in the rubble of the Surfside, Miami, building collapse and adding them to a makeshift memorial for missing children.

The items include a Winnie the Pooh bear with a red shirt that reads “Baby’s 1st Pooh Bear”.

“Yesterday, I saw a group of five firefighters. They walked toward the memorial, and they were holding toys,’’ a man told CBS12 News at the scene of the makeshift memorial.

“And they placed the toys, and they had tears in their eyes,’’ said the man, who was unidentified.

“It’s incredible, it’s just so powerful to think that maybe one of those toys belonged to a child who is unfortunately no longer with us,’’ he added.

Toys can be seen lining the makeshift memorial, where posters and images of loved ones lost in the collapse of Champlain Towers South have been put up.

Pictures show firefighters, who have been at the collapsed tower in Surfside since the early hours of Thursday morning, when the tragedy unfolded.

So far, officials say 150 people are missing in the rubble and 11 have been found dead, although time is running out in the search for survivors.

A Nerf gun pulled from the rubble at the memorial
A Nerf gun pulled from the rubble at the memorial (REUTERS)

US president Joe Biden is due to visit Surfside on Thursday, and will likely meet with families of the victims of the collapse.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in