Uncovering the Cause: Investigating the Surfside Condo Collapse

Federal investigators are focusing on construction flaws on the pool deck as the cause of the deadly collapse of the Champlain Towers South condo building in Surfside, Florida, which claimed the lives of 98 people in June 2021. The investigation by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has revealed significant design and construction problems, including weaknesses in the pool deck and concrete columns supporting the building. The NIST team is still exploring other possible failure hypotheses but plans to narrow down the field soon. The investigation is ongoing, and investigators are urging the public to provide any photos or videos of the collapse. Meanwhile, family members of the victims are expressing impatience with the investigation and objecting to plans for a new building on the site.