An international tragedy: At least 31 Latin Americans are reported missing in the collapse
When asked by CNN if there were any concerns expressed about the building prior to the collapse, Surfside Town Manager Andy Hyatt said no.
“Our building official had been on the roof. They are doing some roofing work there and it was fine,” Hyatt said and added the town has contracted with a nationally renowned structural engineer to aid in the investigative effort.
Hyatt said the town will be undertaking “due diligence” into what happened with Champlain Towers and are checking on other buildings in the area as well.
Hyatt called the rescue effort “painstakingly laborious” and reiterated “it is going to take quite a while to finally reach every single person.”
What we know about the building: The cause of the collapse is still unknown. The building was constructed in 1981, according to online Miami-Dade property records. Building standards were strengthened after highly destructive Hurricane Andrew in 1992.
Shimon Wdowinski, a professor with Florida International University’s Institute of Environment, told CNN he determined in a study last year that the Champlain Towers South condo showed signs of sinking in the 1990s.
The condo had a “subsidence” rate of about 2 millimeters a year from 1993 to 1999, according to his study, first reported by USA Today. While Wdowinski said this sinking alone would likely not cause the condo’s collapse, he said it could be a contributing factor.
Kenneth Direktor, an attorney for the association of residents at the condo, said the building had “thorough engineering inspections over the last several months” in preparation for compliance with a 40-year certification.
CNN’s Aya Elamroussi, Rosa Flores and Jason Hanna contributed reporting to this post.
