OFFICIALS plan to demolish the remainder of the partially collapsed Champlain Towers South condo building in Miami with explosives.
A top Miami-Dade fire official confirmed that demolition workers would bring down the remainder of the building on Sunday.
The decision comes after growing concerns that the damaged structure could come tumbling down on its own, endangering the crews below and complicating the search for victims.
As of Saturday morning, the death toll from the June 24 condo collapse was at least 24 people, and 124 people are still unaccounted for.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava signed an emergency order to tear down the crumbling remains of Chamberlain Towers South on Friday.
On Thursday, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Chief Alan Cominsky said the building's stability led to concerns about the more than 300 people who have been working on the search and rescue mission.
The concrete slabs of the southern part of the 12-story building, the part that did not collapse, appeared to be moving, Cominsky said.
The movement threatens support columns in the underground parking garage.
Mayor Cava said the decision to tear down the remainder of the building was made in “the interest of public safety” and that the consideration for the impact and timeline are still being worked out with engineers.
The mayor said that the order’s execution helps begin the necessary process and one that she admitted wasn’t “made lightly.”
“The building poses a threat to public health and safety,” she said.
Rescue crews have been working to locate missing people since the building collapsed in the early hours of June 24.
The efforts were disrupted on Thursday for 15 hours after there was concern about debris and instability at the site.
Hurricane Elsa is also currently making its way towards Miami and is expected to reach the area on Sunday afternoon or early evening, officials confirmed.
It is the first Atlantic hurricane of the season and could bring havoc to not only Florida but also Georgia and South Carolina.
Mayor Cava said that the storm was being monitored and that “depending on the strength of wind” there may be some interruptions with the rescue and recovery effort.
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