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Federal investigators release cause of Surfside condo collapse
WPLG Local 10 • • nation
Key Points:
- Federal investigators from the National Institute of Standards and Technology found that initial column failures at Champlain Towers South occurred three weeks before the deadly collapse in June 2021.
- The failure began with connections between garage columns and the pool deck, leading to cracks and weight redistribution that caused adjacent slab columns to fail.
- The collapse of the 12-story condo resulted in 98 fatalities, with first responders conducting an extensive search for survivors immediately after the incident.
- Families of victims expressed disappointment with the investigation's findings after nearly five years and $40 million spent on the inquiry.
- Concerns remain about the safety of similar buildings, while a memorial stands at the site amid ongoing discussions about the property's future.
