Twelve-story Miami Beach apartment building collapses leaving at least one dead
Twelve-story Miami Beach apartment building collapses leaving at least one dead – amid fears many more are trapped beneath the rubble in upmarket neighborhood where Jared and Ivanka Trump have a home
- A huge emergency search and rescue operation is underway after the beachfront condo tower, Champlain Towers South, collapsed at about 1.30am this morning in the Miami neighborhood of Surfside
- One woman has been confirmed dead and at least eight people were injured
- Rescue teams are trawling the wreckage for any survivors and have already miraculously pulled a young boy, who was conscious, from rubble
- Authorities fear many more people may be dead or remain trapped
- Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett was not confident there would be many survivors, saying: ‘The building has literally pancaked’
At least one person is dead and there are fears there could be many more casualties after a 12-story Miami Beach apartment building collapsed in the middle of the night, trapping residents in rubble and twisted metal.
A huge emergency search and rescue operation is underway after the beachfront condo tower, Champlain Towers South, collapsed at about 1.30am this morning in the Miami neighborhood of Surfside.
One woman has been confirmed dead and at least eight people were injured.
Rescue teams are trawling the wreckage for any survivors and have already miraculously pulled a young boy, who was conscious, from rubble.
Teams of firefighters were seen walking through the rubble, picking up other survivors and carrying them from the wreckage in the early stages of the search operation.
Authorities fear many more people may be dead or remain trapped after witnesses reported hearing screaming from the wreckage as a search-and-rescue operation began.
‘The building has literally pancaked. That is heartbreaking because it doesn’t mean that we’re going to be successful… in finding people alive,’ Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett said.
It is not clear how many people are missing but authorities said the building was ‘substantially full’ when it collapsed.
The building, which contains about 100 apartments, is located one block away from where Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump currently live.
A huge emergency search and rescue operation is underway after the beachfront condo tower, Champlain Towers South, collapsed at about 1.30am this morning
Authorities fear many more people may be dead or remain trapped under the rubble after the 12-story building collapsed
Video from the scene showed firefighters pulling a young boy from the rubble. Witnesses also reported hearing screams from beneath the collapsed building
The building was completed in 1981 and apartments in the block, some of which have ocean views sell for up to $915,000
One witness, who was staying in the south Florida island city with his family, was in a neighboring building at the time and said the collapse sounded and felt like a tornado or earthquake.
‘It was the craziest thing I ever heard in my life,’ he told Fox News.
Witnesses claimed to have heard people screaming beneath the rubble during frantic efforts to free them from the wreckage of the building.
One witness told NBC: ‘They are able to rescue some people but I heard some screams.’
Victor Cohen, who lives nearby, told television station WPLG the building had been undergoing a major renovation when the ocean front wing collapsed.
Authorities have not yet determined what caused the building to collapse but confirmed that renovations had been underway on the roof.
Mayor Burkett said it was unlikely that the roof work had anything to do with the collapse.
‘There’s no reason for this building to go down like that unless someone literally pulls the supports out from underneath,’ he said.
Burkett suggested that potential causes could be the result of the foundations being washed out or a sinkhole.
The collapse left a number of units in the still-standing part of the building exposed.
Television footage showed bunk beds, tables and chairs still left inside the damaged apartments. Air conditioner units were hanging from some parts of the building where wires now dangled.
Photos and video from the scene show the collapse affected half the tower. Piles of rubble and debris surrounded the area just outside the building.
The debris from the collapse coated cars up to two blocks away with a light layer of dust.
Pictures and videos from the scene suggest a full section of the tower collapsed (pictured), which left huge piles of debris lying at the corner of Collins Avenue
One woman has died and at least nine people are injured, including a firefighter, following the collapse just before 1.30am, according to local media reports. One person is said to be in critical condition. Pictured: The partially collapsed building
Witnesses claim to have heard people screaming beneath the rubble (left and right) during frantic efforts to free them from the wreckage of the building
There have been dozens of people impacted by the collapse (pictured: the partially collapsed building), according to local media, but authorities have not yet confirmed any details of potential casualties
Witness Kimberly Morales, who lives across the street, told CNN she was woken up by alarms going off and people pounding on her door, as she didn’t hear the building collapse. Pictured: A portion of the condo tower crumbled to the ground
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said more than 80 units were on the scene, including Technical Rescue Teams, which are ‘specially trained in the treatment and removal of victims trapped in complex or confined spaces’.
Freelance journalist Joel Franco, who was on the scene, claimed that the fire department had managed to rescue some people from their balconies.
He tweeted: ‘MDFR [Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department] now rescuing people from the balcony.’
Mr Franco said the rescue operation was a ‘multi-agency effort’ as he claimed to have seen units from Pompano Beach Fire, Miami Fire, Davie Fire and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue at the scene.
A statement from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue read: ‘We are on scene of a partial building collapse near 88 Street & Collins Avenue.
‘Over 80 MDFR units, including Technical Rescue Teams, are on scene with assistance from municipal fire departments.’
A portion of the 12-story condo tower crumbled to the ground during a partial collapse of the apartment block. It is unknown at this time how many people were injured as search-and-rescue effort continues
Southbound traffic is being diverted west on 96th Street and northbound traffic is being diverted at 85th Street and Collins Avenue as authorities continue with the rescue operation (right), Miami-Dade Fire Rescue (left) confirmed
Freelance journalist Joel Franco, who was on the scene, claimed that the fire department had managed to rescue some people from their balconies. Pictured: Emergency personnel working at the scene
There are fears that many people may be dead or remain trapped beneath the rubble (pictured) at Champlain Towers South following the collapse
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue confirmed that more than 80 units (right), including Technical Rescue Teams, were at the scene of the collapse (left)
Emergency personnel from multiple fire departments and other agencies (pictured) were seen working at the scene of the partial building collapse in Miami Beach
Rescue personnel work near where a portion of the 12-story condo tower crumbled to the ground during a partial collapse of the building in Surfside
Southbound traffic is being diverted west on 96th Street and northbound traffic is being diverted at 85th Street and Collins Avenue as authorities remain on the scene, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue confirmed.
Miami Beach Police Department said: ‘MBPD and @MiamiBeachFire are assisting the Town of Surfside at a partial building collapse located at 8777 Collins Avenue in Surfside, Florida.
‘Multiple police and fire agencies from across Miami-Dade are assisting. Please follow @MiamiDadeFire for updated information.’
The sea-view condo development was built in 1981 in the southeast corner of Surfside, on the beach. It had a few two-bedroom units currently on the market, with asking prices of $600,000 to $700,000.
The area is a mix of new and old apartments, houses, condominiums and hotels, with restaurants and stores serving an international combination of residents and tourists.
The community provides a stark contrast from bustle and glitz of South Beach with a slower paced neighborhood feel.
The building, a twelve-story apartment block called Champlain Towers South (pictured), collapsed in the early hours of this morning.
A view inside one of the apartments at Champlain Towers South
