Search and rescue efforts at the site of a partial collapse of a condominium in Surfside, Florida, were suspended on Thursday — due to what officials described as structural problems with the remaining part of the building.
According to the chief of the Miami-Dade fire department, Alan Kominsky, the work was stopped around 2 a.m. Kominsky said that, according to civil engineers who assessed the scene, the support columns and piles of debris could have moved and fallen.
Officials observed cracks at the facility and said that their monitors recorded a potentially dangerous movement of these cracks, which jeopardized the entire operation.
According to Kominsky, there was a movement of 6 to 12 inches in a large column hanging from the structure, which could potentially fall and cause damage to the support columns in the southern part of the garage.
Officials also noticed the movement of concrete slabs on the south side of the structure in the northern and southern corners of the building. According to Kominsky, this can cause an additional collapse of the building, as well as the movement of debris adjacent to the southern side of the structure.
When asked when the search would resume, officials could not give a time and date, saying instead they should first meet with civil engineers to ensure the safety of emergency personnel.
Families who are waiting for news about their loved ones have already been informed about the suspension of work, said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levin Kava. As of Wednesday, it was confirmed that 18 people were killed, and another 145 were missing.
