Sunday, July 4, 2021

Officials pause operations at Surfside collapse site to focus on demolition ahead of Tropical Storm Elsa

 

begin quote from:

https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/04/us/miami-dade-building-collapse-sunday/index.html

Officials pause operations at Surfside collapse site to focus on demolition ahead of Tropical Storm Elsa

By Hollie Silverman, Melissa Alonso and Dakin Andone, CNN

Updated 3:12 PM ET, Sun July 4, 2021

surfside condo collapse Saturday chen nr vpx_00014225

 

DeSantis speaks from Surfside: Community outpouring has been moving 02:01

(CNN)Search and rescue operations at the site of a partial building collapse in Surfside, Florida, remained paused on Sunday as authorities prepare for the likely demolition of what's left of the Champlain Towers South condo building.

"As soon as the preparation is ready, the site is secured and the team is ready to go, we will begin the demolition," Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said in a news conference Sunday morning. She said the "top priority is that the building come down as soon as possible ... and as safely as possible."
A family of four, a 60-year love story, a young man with muscular dystrophy: What we know about the collapse victims
A family of four, a 60-year love story, a young man with muscular dystrophy: What we know about the collapse victims
Search efforts paused Saturday around 4 p.m. so engineers could secure the site and prepare for the demolition, which officials have said is crucial to allowing authorities to continue to look for survivors safely, eliminating the threat posed by the part of the structure that's still standing.
      The demolition team continued preparations Sunday morning, racing against Tropical Storm Elsa, which is tracking toward South Florida with heavy rain and sustained winds of 60 mph.
        Officials did not provide a timeline for the demolition in a news conference Sunday morning -- the 11th day since approximately 55 of the building's 136 units collapsed early June 24, killing at least 24 people. As of Sunday, 121 people are still unaccounted for.
          Those who lost their lives include 4- and 10-year-old sisters, an elderly couple, and the daughter of a firefighter.
          Nicole Mejias told CNN on Saturday that five of her family members were in the Champlain Towers South building when it collapsed, including 7-year-old Stella Cattarossi, the daughter of the Miami firefighter. Cattarossi's body was found Thursday night.
          "We just miss them so much already, we wish this tragedy didn't happen, and will always remember them," Mejias said.
          Members of the South Florida Urban Search and Rescue team walk near Champlain Towers South.
          Members of the South Florida Urban Search and Rescue team walk near Champlain Towers South.
          Appearing on "Face the Nation" on CBS Sunday, Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett underscored that authorities are still working with the mindset that this remains a rescue effort.
          "It is absolutely not a recovery effort," Burkett said, later adding, "There is nobody in charge really talking about stopping this rescue effort. And this rescue effort, as far as I'm concerned, will go on until everybody is pulled out of that debris."

          Demolition plans and a race against the storm

          Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 15 counties Saturday -- including Miami-Dade County -- due to Tropical Storm Elsa.
          "We're preparing for the risk of isolated tornadoes, storm surge, heavy rainfall and flash flooding," DeSantis said, adding the state has "begun executing contingency plans for the Tropical Storm Elsa and Surfside co-response."
          Rescue workers use a crane to inspect the damage.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Rescue workers use a crane to inspect the damage.
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          Ariana Hevia, center, stands with Sean Wilt near the partially collapsed building on June 25. Hevia's mother, Cassandra Statton, lives in the building.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Ariana Hevia, center, stands with Sean Wilt near the partially collapsed building on June 25. Hevia's mother, Cassandra Statton, lives in the building.
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          Rescue workers arrive to the scene with dogs on June 25.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Rescue workers arrive to the scene with dogs on June 25.
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          Faydah Bushnaq, center, is hugged by Maria Fernanda Martinez as they stand on the beach near the building. Bushnaq, who was vacationing in South Florida, stopped to write "pray for their souls" in the sand.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Faydah Bushnaq, center, is hugged by Maria Fernanda Martinez as they stand on the beach near the building. Bushnaq, who was vacationing in South Florida, stopped to write "pray for their souls" in the sand.
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          The arm of an earth mover is seen during the search operations.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          The arm of an earth mover is seen during the search operations.
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          Rescue personnel work at the site on June 24.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Rescue personnel work at the site on June 24.
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          Yube Pettingill talks to the media. Two of her family members were still missing.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Yube Pettingill talks to the media. Two of her family members were still missing.
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          This photo was tweeted by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue after the building collapsed.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          This photo was tweeted by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue after the building collapsed.
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          Displaced residents are taken to a nearby hotel in Surfside.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Displaced residents are taken to a nearby hotel in Surfside.
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          The partial collapse left huge piles of rubble and materials dangling from what remained of the structure.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          The partial collapse left huge piles of rubble and materials dangling from what remained of the structure.
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          Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, at center in the red tie, arrives to speak to the media on June 24. "We still have hope to be able to identify additional survivors," DeSantis told reporters near the scene. "The state of Florida, we're offering any assistance that we can."
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, at center in the red tie, arrives to speak to the media on June 24. "We still have hope to be able to identify additional survivors," DeSantis told reporters near the scene. "The state of Florida, we're offering any assistance that we can."
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          Debris dangles from the building on June 24.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Debris dangles from the building on June 24.
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          People hug at a family reunification center where evacuees were staying in Surfside.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          People hug at a family reunification center where evacuees were staying in Surfside.
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          The cause of the collapse wasn't immediately known.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          The cause of the collapse wasn't immediately known.
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          Jennifer Carr sits with her daughter as they and other evacuees wait for news at the family reunification center in Surfside.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Jennifer Carr sits with her daughter as they and other evacuees wait for news at the family reunification center in Surfside.
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          Rescue personnel search through the rubble with dogs.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Rescue personnel search through the rubble with dogs.
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          Police stand guard on the day the building collapsed.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Police stand guard on the day the building collapsed.
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          People on the beach look at the building after the partial collapse.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          People on the beach look at the building after the partial collapse.
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          The building was constructed in 1981, according to online Miami-Dade property records.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          The building was constructed in 1981, according to online Miami-Dade property records.
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          People lie on cots at the family reunification center in Surfside.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          People lie on cots at the family reunification center in Surfside.
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          The beachfront community is a few miles north of Miami Beach.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          The beachfront community is a few miles north of Miami Beach.
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          More than 80 rescue units responded to the scene, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          More than 80 rescue units responded to the scene, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said.
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          Rescue personnel work at the site of the partial collapse.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Rescue personnel work at the site of the partial collapse.
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          Search and rescue personnel work atop the rubble at the Champlain Towers South condo building on Friday, July 2.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Search and rescue personnel work atop the rubble at the Champlain Towers South condo building on Friday, July 2.
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          Residents of the Crestview Towers Condominium carry their belongings <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/02/us/north-miami-crestview-condo-building-ordered-closed/index.html" target="_blank">as they leave their building </a>in North Miami Beach, Florida, on July 2. The building, about six miles (10 km) from Surfside, was deemed to be structurally and electrically unsafe based on a delinquent recertification report for the almost 50-year-old building. The city said the move was out of an "abundance of caution," as area authorities check high-rise condo buildings following the Surfside collapse.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Residents of the Crestview Towers Condominium carry their belongings as they leave their building in North Miami Beach, Florida, on July 2. The building, about six miles (10 km) from Surfside, was deemed to be structurally and electrically unsafe based on a delinquent recertification report for the almost 50-year-old building. The city said the move was out of an "abundance of caution," as area authorities check high-rise condo buildings following the Surfside collapse.
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          President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden visit a memorial near the partially collapsed building on Thursday, July 1. <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/01/politics/joe-biden-south-florida-visit/index.html" target="_blank">Biden traveled to Surfside</a> to console families still waiting on news of their loved ones. Those meetings were closed to the press.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden visit a memorial near the partially collapsed building on Thursday, July 1. Biden traveled to Surfside to console families still waiting on news of their loved ones. Those meetings were closed to the press.
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          A Coast Guard boat patrols the water ahead of Biden's visit on Thursday.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          A Coast Guard boat patrols the water ahead of Biden's visit on Thursday.
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          NBA basketball player Udonis Haslem, left, and Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava arrive to pay their respects Wednesday at a memorial near the building.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          NBA basketball player Udonis Haslem, left, and Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava arrive to pay their respects Wednesday at a memorial near the building.
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          Search-and-rescue teams look through the rubble of Champlain Towers South on June 29.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Search-and-rescue teams look through the rubble of Champlain Towers South on June 29.
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          People take part in a twilight vigil near the building on Monday.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          People take part in a twilight vigil near the building on Monday.
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          Members of the Legendarios, a men's religious group, gather near the building for a moment of prayer.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Members of the Legendarios, a men's religious group, gather near the building for a moment of prayer.
          Hide Caption
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          More than 3 million pounds of concrete have already been removed during the rescue operation, said Miami-Dade Fire Chief Alan Cominsky.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          More than 3 million pounds of concrete have already been removed during the rescue operation, said Miami-Dade Fire Chief Alan Cominsky.
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          A woman puts flowers in a barricade as she pays her respects near the building.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          A woman puts flowers in a barricade as she pays her respects near the building.
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          Passersby look at photos of missing people.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Passersby look at photos of missing people.
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          Workers search through the rubble on June 26.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Workers search through the rubble on June 26.
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          Eliagne Sanchez and K. Parker lay flowers on the beach near the partially collapsed building.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Eliagne Sanchez and K. Parker lay flowers on the beach near the partially collapsed building.
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          Smoke rises as rescuers continued to search for survivors on June 26.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Smoke rises as rescuers continued to search for survivors on June 26.
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          People stand near the building on June 25.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          People stand near the building on June 25.
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          Mourners light candles on the beach near the building.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Mourners light candles on the beach near the building.
          Hide Caption
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          Members of a search-and-rescue team work in the rubble.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Members of a search-and-rescue team work in the rubble.
          Hide Caption
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          People pray together on the beach near the collapsed building.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          People pray together on the beach near the collapsed building.
          Hide Caption
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          Firefighters battle a blaze at the collapse site.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Firefighters battle a blaze at the collapse site.
          Hide Caption
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          People hug June 25 as they wait for news about their relatives at a community center in Surfside.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          People hug June 25 as they wait for news about their relatives at a community center in Surfside.
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          Rescue personnel search through the building's rubble on June 25.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Rescue personnel search through the building's rubble on June 25.
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          Toby Fried holds up a picture of her missing brother, Chaim Rosenberg, outside the Surfside Community Center on June 25.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Toby Fried holds up a picture of her missing brother, Chaim Rosenberg, outside the Surfside Community Center on June 25.
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          Rescue workers use a crane to inspect the damage.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Rescue workers use a crane to inspect the damage.
          Hide Caption
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          Ariana Hevia, center, stands with Sean Wilt near the partially collapsed building on June 25. Hevia's mother, Cassandra Statton, lives in the building.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Ariana Hevia, center, stands with Sean Wilt near the partially collapsed building on June 25. Hevia's mother, Cassandra Statton, lives in the building.
          Hide Caption
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          Rescue workers arrive to the scene with dogs on June 25.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Rescue workers arrive to the scene with dogs on June 25.
          Hide Caption
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          Faydah Bushnaq, center, is hugged by Maria Fernanda Martinez as they stand on the beach near the building. Bushnaq, who was vacationing in South Florida, stopped to write "pray for their souls" in the sand.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Faydah Bushnaq, center, is hugged by Maria Fernanda Martinez as they stand on the beach near the building. Bushnaq, who was vacationing in South Florida, stopped to write "pray for their souls" in the sand.
          Hide Caption
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          The arm of an earth mover is seen during the search operations.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          The arm of an earth mover is seen during the search operations.
          Hide Caption
          27 of 45
          Rescue personnel work at the site on June 24.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Rescue personnel work at the site on June 24.
          Hide Caption
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          Yube Pettingill talks to the media. Two of her family members were still missing.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Yube Pettingill talks to the media. Two of her family members were still missing.
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          This photo was tweeted by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue after the building collapsed.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          This photo was tweeted by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue after the building collapsed.
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          Displaced residents are taken to a nearby hotel in Surfside.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Displaced residents are taken to a nearby hotel in Surfside.
          Hide Caption
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          The partial collapse left huge piles of rubble and materials dangling from what remained of the structure.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          The partial collapse left huge piles of rubble and materials dangling from what remained of the structure.
          Hide Caption
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          Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, at center in the red tie, arrives to speak to the media on June 24. "We still have hope to be able to identify additional survivors," DeSantis told reporters near the scene. "The state of Florida, we're offering any assistance that we can."
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, at center in the red tie, arrives to speak to the media on June 24. "We still have hope to be able to identify additional survivors," DeSantis told reporters near the scene. "The state of Florida, we're offering any assistance that we can."
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          Debris dangles from the building on June 24.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Debris dangles from the building on June 24.
          Hide Caption
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          People hug at a family reunification center where evacuees were staying in Surfside.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          People hug at a family reunification center where evacuees were staying in Surfside.
          Hide Caption
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          The cause of the collapse wasn't immediately known.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          The cause of the collapse wasn't immediately known.
          Hide Caption
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          Jennifer Carr sits with her daughter as they and other evacuees wait for news at the family reunification center in Surfside.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Jennifer Carr sits with her daughter as they and other evacuees wait for news at the family reunification center in Surfside.
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          Rescue personnel search through the rubble with dogs.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Rescue personnel search through the rubble with dogs.
          Hide Caption
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          Police stand guard on the day the building collapsed.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Police stand guard on the day the building collapsed.
          Hide Caption
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          People on the beach look at the building after the partial collapse.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          People on the beach look at the building after the partial collapse.
          Hide Caption
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          The building was constructed in 1981, according to online Miami-Dade property records.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          The building was constructed in 1981, according to online Miami-Dade property records.
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          People lie on cots at the family reunification center in Surfside.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          People lie on cots at the family reunification center in Surfside.
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          The beachfront community is a few miles north of Miami Beach.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          The beachfront community is a few miles north of Miami Beach.
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          More than 80 rescue units responded to the scene, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          More than 80 rescue units responded to the scene, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said.
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          Rescue personnel work at the site of the partial collapse.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Rescue personnel work at the site of the partial collapse.
          Hide Caption
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          Search and rescue personnel work atop the rubble at the Champlain Towers South condo building on Friday, July 2.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Search and rescue personnel work atop the rubble at the Champlain Towers South condo building on Friday, July 2.
          Hide Caption
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          Residents of the Crestview Towers Condominium carry their belongings <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/02/us/north-miami-crestview-condo-building-ordered-closed/index.html" target="_blank">as they leave their building </a>in North Miami Beach, Florida, on July 2. The building, about six miles (10 km) from Surfside, was deemed to be structurally and electrically unsafe based on a delinquent recertification report for the almost 50-year-old building. The city said the move was out of an "abundance of caution," as area authorities check high-rise condo buildings following the Surfside collapse.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Residents of the Crestview Towers Condominium carry their belongings as they leave their building in North Miami Beach, Florida, on July 2. The building, about six miles (10 km) from Surfside, was deemed to be structurally and electrically unsafe based on a delinquent recertification report for the almost 50-year-old building. The city said the move was out of an "abundance of caution," as area authorities check high-rise condo buildings following the Surfside collapse.
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          President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden visit a memorial near the partially collapsed building on Thursday, July 1. <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/01/politics/joe-biden-south-florida-visit/index.html" target="_blank">Biden traveled to Surfside</a> to console families still waiting on news of their loved ones. Those meetings were closed to the press.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden visit a memorial near the partially collapsed building on Thursday, July 1. Biden traveled to Surfside to console families still waiting on news of their loved ones. Those meetings were closed to the press.
          Hide Caption
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          A Coast Guard boat patrols the water ahead of Biden's visit on Thursday.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          A Coast Guard boat patrols the water ahead of Biden's visit on Thursday.
          Hide Caption
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          NBA basketball player Udonis Haslem, left, and Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava arrive to pay their respects Wednesday at a memorial near the building.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          NBA basketball player Udonis Haslem, left, and Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava arrive to pay their respects Wednesday at a memorial near the building.
          Hide Caption
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          Search-and-rescue teams look through the rubble of Champlain Towers South on June 29.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Search-and-rescue teams look through the rubble of Champlain Towers South on June 29.
          Hide Caption
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          People take part in a twilight vigil near the building on Monday.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          People take part in a twilight vigil near the building on Monday.
          Hide Caption
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          Members of the Legendarios, a men's religious group, gather near the building for a moment of prayer.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Members of the Legendarios, a men's religious group, gather near the building for a moment of prayer.
          Hide Caption
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          More than 3 million pounds of concrete have already been removed during the rescue operation, said Miami-Dade Fire Chief Alan Cominsky.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          More than 3 million pounds of concrete have already been removed during the rescue operation, said Miami-Dade Fire Chief Alan Cominsky.
          Hide Caption
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          A woman puts flowers in a barricade as she pays her respects near the building.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          A woman puts flowers in a barricade as she pays her respects near the building.
          Hide Caption
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          Passersby look at photos of missing people.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Passersby look at photos of missing people.
          Hide Caption
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          Workers search through the rubble on June 26.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Workers search through the rubble on June 26.
          Hide Caption
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          Eliagne Sanchez and K. Parker lay flowers on the beach near the partially collapsed building.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Eliagne Sanchez and K. Parker lay flowers on the beach near the partially collapsed building.
          Hide Caption
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          Smoke rises as rescuers continued to search for survivors on June 26.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Smoke rises as rescuers continued to search for survivors on June 26.
          Hide Caption
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          People stand near the building on June 25.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          People stand near the building on June 25.
          Hide Caption
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          Mourners light candles on the beach near the building.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Mourners light candles on the beach near the building.
          Hide Caption
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          Members of a search-and-rescue team work in the rubble.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Members of a search-and-rescue team work in the rubble.
          Hide Caption
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          People pray together on the beach near the collapsed building.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          People pray together on the beach near the collapsed building.
          Hide Caption
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          Firefighters battle a blaze at the collapse site.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Firefighters battle a blaze at the collapse site.
          Hide Caption
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          People hug June 25 as they wait for news about their relatives at a community center in Surfside.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          People hug June 25 as they wait for news about their relatives at a community center in Surfside.
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          Rescue personnel search through the building's rubble on June 25.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Rescue personnel search through the building's rubble on June 25.
          Hide Caption
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          Toby Fried holds up a picture of her missing brother, Chaim Rosenberg, outside the Surfside Community Center on June 25.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Toby Fried holds up a picture of her missing brother, Chaim Rosenberg, outside the Surfside Community Center on June 25.
          Hide Caption
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          Rescue workers use a crane to inspect the damage.
          Photos: Deadly condo collapse near Miami
          Rescue workers use a crane to inspect the damage.
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          A tropical storm warning has been issued for the Florida Keys and a tropical storm watch is in effect for parts of southwest Florida.
          Elsa was a Category 1 hurricane Friday and early Saturday, but weakened to a tropical storm as it took aim at the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Forecasters say the storm's center will not directly impact Surfside, though the city could be affected by its outer bands, with wind gusts and rain starting in the area as early as Monday morning.
          The potential for weather-related issues at the collapse site is influencing authorities' decisions on the ground. "We're still very hopeful that we can do the demolition before the storm," Levine Cava said Saturday night. "We are proceeding as quickly as we possibly can."
          Plans to demolish the remaining portion of the building were announced late in the week as rescuers continued to scour the debris for victims.
          Search and rescue operations were briefly suspended on Thursday after engineers noted shifting on the debris pile that posed a danger to the rescue crews, officials said. After operations resumed later that day, authorities confirmed a demolition would likely be necessary to keep rescue crews and the collapse site safe for further searches.
          A cross hangs among wilting flowers at a makeshift memorial near Champlain Towers South.
          A cross hangs among wilting flowers at a makeshift memorial near Champlain Towers South.
          On Sunday, the condominium board for Champlain Towers East, a sister building of Champlain Towers South, suggested its residents evacuate ahead of the demolition, according to a letter from the condo association's board of directors obtained by CNN.
          The letter says that while guidance has not been given yet, they are encouraging residents to evacuate in advance as streets nearby will be congested due to the demolition. They also ask residents to take their pets and valuables, including passports and valuable documents, with them.
          "Our building foundation has been checked multiple times, but we make this suggestion in an abundance of caution," it reads. "We do not expect any impact to us but you can't be too careful under the circumstances."
          Levine Cava announced Saturday that the firm Controlled Demolition, Inc. will handle the demolition of the remaining Champlain Towers' South structure.
          "They have done other large demolitions," Levine Cava said, adding that the company was "evaluating the scene right now."
          The governor expressed his support for the demolition plan ahead of Elsa's impact on Saturday and said he believes it would be best for the building to be down before the storm arrives. "With these gusts potentially, it would create a really big hazard."
          Burkett also assured residents Saturday that the demolition shouldn't impact other buildings in the area.
          Burkett said he's taken calls from concerned citizens who are worried about potential environmental impacts from the debris. But the materials from the debris pile were tested by a company hired by the structural engineers and "there were no significant issues in the debris," Burkett told reporters Saturday night.

          Complaints over construction of high-rise

          Since part of the building fell, complaints about the construction on a high-rise next door have come to light through interviews with survivors, family members of victims, and documents obtained by CNN.
          Firm held off on repairs because of stability issues in months before Surfside building collapse
          Firm held off on repairs because of stability issues in months before Surfside building collapse
          On Saturday, CNN learned the developer behind Eighty Seven Park, a high-rise recently erected next door to Champlain Towers South, offered the Surfside tower's condominium board $400,000 amid complaints over the construction.
          Construction on that building had been the source of complaints, including at least one from a condo board member to a Surfside building official in January 2019, documents obtained by CNN show.
          Under the agreement sent by the group behind the luxury building, residents of Champlain Towers South would have had to release the developer from liability and the condominium board would have had to publicly support the development in letters sent to the town of Surfside and Miami Beach, where Eighty Seven Park was being built, in exchange for the payment, according to a person familiar with the matter.
          The agreement was presented in 2019 according to the Washington Post, who first reported on it.
          'Tragedy beyond tragedy': Champlain Towers South was a catastrophe in slow motion
          'Tragedy beyond tragedy': Champlain Towers South was a catastrophe in slow motion
          It was never signed by the Champlain Towers South condominium board, Max Marcucci, a spokesman for the board told CNN.
            On Friday, Robert McKee, an attorney for one of the Champlain Towers South residents suing the condominium board, suggested in a court hearing that the civil plaintiffs should investigate the neighboring building, calling the developer "a potential significant possible defendant."
            CNN has reached out to the developer behind Eighty Seven Park for comment on the proposed agreement.

            CNN's Brian Todd, Natasha Chen, Kevin Conlon, Claudia Dominguez, Casey Tolan and Haley Brink contributed to this report.

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