Authorities announced that two additional bodies were recovered, including the daughter of a Miami firefighters. This brought the death toll up to 20.
According to Daniella Levine Cava, Miami-Dade’s Mayor, the number of missing has declined after an audit. Some cases were so successful that detectives were able contact the people reported as missing. They found that they were safe and their family members were safe. She said that this increased the number of people who were found safe to 188 and decreased the number of missing.
She said that this was “very, very good news” and added that they will continue to change as detectives keep reviewing the list and verifying reports.
Investigators worked round the clock to reach relatives and other people. Officials have confirmed that in some cases, English names and Hebrew names were offered to the same relative who is missing.
According to Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, the 7-year old who died in the collapse was “a part of our fire family.”
Levine Cava stated that rescuers were particularly hard-pressed to find the remains of the girl.
It was really different and more difficult to our first responders. These men and women are suffering an immense human cost every day. I ask you all to keep them in your thoughts, prayers and thoughts,” she stated at a news conference.
Since the collapse of the 12-story Champlain Towers South condo on June 24, no one has been saved.
Friday’s meeting with the relatives of the missing was held by Miami-Dade Assistant fire Chief Raide Jadallah. He stated that only one voice had been heard throughout the search. The voice of a woman was heard until around 10 or 11 AM on the morning before the collapse. It happened at around 1:30 AM. Rescuers could not reach her and she said that no other sounds or voices have been heard since.
Jadallah also advised the families on how to stop the search from being suspended if Hurricane Elsa, now in the eastern Caribbean, brings strong winds to South Florida. This would make it too dangerous.
Jadallah stated that some rescue workers currently living in tents will soon be moved to cruise ships which are more protected from tropical storms.
The cruise line stated that 600 emergency responders will be staying on the Royal Caribbean ship Explorer of the Seas. The ship can hold more than 3,000 passengers and was built to house rescue teams. It began housing them on Thursday, and will likely continue for the next month.
Friday’s announcements were made a day after officials announced that they were working to demolish what remains of the building. This was after concern about the structure’s stability prompted a 15-hour stop to the search for survivors. Crews observed widening cracks in the column and movement up to a foot.
Officials said it will be several weeks before demolition is scheduled.
Investigating the cause of the collapse is ongoing. An engineering report from 2018 found that the ground floor pool deck of the building was supported by a concrete slab with “major structural damage” that required extensive repairs. In the garage, there was also “abundant cracking of concrete columns and beams.”
Two months prior to the building’s collapse, the president of the board sent a letter to residents stating that the structural problems found in the 2018 inspection had “gotten substantially worse” and that major repairs would likely cost at least $15.5million. The building collapsed suddenly last Thursday, despite the fact that bids were still being received for the work.
