"Key Insights from 2024 Surfside Condo Collapse Investigation"

Investigators are focusing on construction flaws in the pool deck as the cause of the 2021 collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside, Florida, which resulted in 98 deaths. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has found that the concrete used in the pool deck and supporting columns was weaker than required by building codes, and the added weight from planters contributed to increased stress. While the collapse likely initiated in the pool deck, NIST has not ruled out a failure initiation in some part of the tower structure. The investigation is examining at least 40 potential failure hypotheses and aims to complete its technical work by summer, with a draft report and recommendations expected in May 2025.