Surfside condo demolition.Photo: GIORGIO VIERA/AFP via Getty
The remainder of the partially collapsed Champlain Towers South Condo in Surfside, Florida, was demolished Sunday, allowing rescue efforts to resume this week.
The condo, whichcollapsed early June 24, was demolished in a controlled explosion at 10:30 p.m. ET Sunday as officials were concerned for the search and rescue crews, especially with strong winds approaching fromTropical Storm Elsa, according toThe New York Times.
Rescue efforts were able to resume Monday to continue the search for 121 missing people from the collapse. The death toll remains at 24.
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oe Raedle/Getty
According to theTimes, Mayor Daniella Levine Cava of Miami-Dade County said the demolition of the condo may help search and rescue teams get to the previously unreachable areas of the rubble. One-third of the debris has yet to be searched, she added.
Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett appeared on CBS’sFace of the NationSunday where he emphasized that officials are still considering this a rescue effort.
“It is absolutely not a recovery effort,” Burkett said, according toCNN. “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.”
POOJA MEHROTRA/AFP via Getty
The demolition of the partially collapsed Surfside condo building.GIORGIO VIERA/AFP via Getty
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On Saturday morning, Burkett celebrated Levine Cava during apress conferencefor her “decisive leadership” with the demolition plans.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also spoke during the public press conference, where he said that the state would fully pay to demolish the building.
DeSantis said he supported the building’s demolition, calling it “the prudent thing to do,” as Tropical Storm Elsa potentially makes its way toward the southern state.
source: people.com
