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.
Family members of the victims of the Champlain Towers South collapse gathered at Veterans Park in Surfside to mark the two-year anniversary of the tragedy. A torch was lit near the site and the names of all 98 victims were read aloud. The investigation into the cause of the collapse is ongoing, but a preliminary report identified a severe strength deficiency in the building's pool deck. The site has been sold to a billionaire developer who plans to build a new tower, but some victims' families are pushing for a permanent memorial on the site. Town officials are considering a memorial on public land adjacent to the property.
The proposed construction of a luxury oceanfront condominium building on the site of the Champlain Towers South condominium building collapse in Surfside, Florida, has sparked a bitter debate over whether the 1.8-acre lot should also include space for a memorial to the 98 people who died in the tragedy. Family members of the victims are calling for a memorial to be incorporated into the plans for the new building, while the developer, DAMAC International, contends that the new building will "add meaningful value to the beachside haven that is Surfside." The emotional debate is now dominating town meetings in Surfside and serving as yet another test of how the nation recognizes grief and memorializes victims of tragedies.
Federal investigators released a preliminary report on the Champlain Towers South collapse that could have implications for Champlain Towers North, which was built by the same developer. Champlain Towers North is undergoing its 40-year re-certification through a four-phase plan that an engineer is spearheading. The investigators found that a Champlain Towers South pool deck had a “severe strength” deficiency, and the design of the structure failed to meet the codes and standards applicable at the time of original construction. The situation at Champlain Towers North is different, and the concrete is within the required strength that was designed for in the first place.
Federal investigators looking into the Surfside, Florida, condo collapse that killed 98 people in 2021 said the structure did not meet building codes when it was erected 42 years ago. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) project leader James Harris said there were errors in construction and renovations that compounded those deficiencies. NIST is placing a particular emphasis on the pool deck, with pervasive concerns with the deck's design and misplaced slab reinforcement. NIST’s investigation will not be finished until May 2024 at the earliest. The final report could take an additional year.
Design flaws in the pool deck of the Surfside, Florida, apartment building where a partial collapse killed 98 people put the building at risk of failure before it was even built, federal investigators said. Poor construction of the deck in 1981 further weakened Champlain Towers South, and over the next four decades, corrosion, along with renovations that placed a heavier load than the deck was designed to hold, made the building even more vulnerable. Investigators consider the pool deck’s many defects as a leading hypothesis of what led a large section of the 12-story residential building to suddenly crumple in the middle of the night.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has released preliminary findings on the partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South building in Surfside, Florida, which killed 98 people in 2021. NIST's investigation is focusing on the failure of the building's pool deck, which was constructed improperly and didn't meet building codes. The team found problems in the way the concrete was cast, leaving it permeable to water and corroding much of its steel reinforcement. The NIST team's leading hypothesis is that the collapse began when the pool deck failed due to punching shear failure. The final report is expected in two years.
Federal investigators have found that the pool deck of the Champlain Towers South condo in Surfside, Florida, which collapsed in June 2021, had a "severe strength deficiency" and failed to meet building codes and design parameters. The preliminary analysis suggests that the pool deck's failure could have triggered the collapse of the 13-story tower, which killed 98 people. Investigators have been conducting a complex inquiry into the cause of the collapse, including examining the original design and construction of the building, renovations and repairs, corrosion, ground settlement, and vibrations from nearby construction. The final report is not expected until May 2025.
