Florida is under a state of emergency to address building collapse
Rescue efforts continue after a residential building in Surfside, Florida, partially collapsed early Thursday.
Here’s what we know so far:
- The impacted residents: The collapse killed at least one person, officials said. Thirty-seven people were pulled out of the rubble following the building collapse, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Assistant Fire Chief Ray Jadallah said. At least 11 people with injuries have been treated and four of those were transported, the assistant chief said.
- The building: The building has 12 stories and had 136 units, according to Jadallah.
- The investigation: There is still no official cause of the partial building collapse, the mayor of Miami-Dade county, Daniella Levine Cava, said. Structural engineers will be involved in the investigation as well as the city of Surfside and the fire department, she added. Authorities will investigate after search and rescue operations are completed.
- The accounted and unaccounted for: Cava said there are 102 people who have been accounted for following the partial building collapse. Their locations are known and they are safe. There are still at least 99 people who are unaccounted for, she added.
- The state of emergency: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order to provide assistance for the families impacted by the collapse. The state of emergency declaration will allow all necessary resources to be diverted to the area including law enforcement and other emergency personnel, the order said.
