The death toll in the collapse of a condominium in the Miami area has increased to 46 — after the standing part of the high-rise building was demolished, and rescuers had access to new areas of rubble.
Rescuers who spent two weeks sorting through the wreckage of an apartment building in Surfside said they were switching from rescue mode to search mode — making it clear that the probability of finding survivors is close to zero.
The sad news followed reports from emergency services that they are preparing the victims ‘ families for the worst.
Miami-Dade Assistant Fire Chief Ryde Jadalla told the families at a private briefing Wednesday afternoon that ambulance crews will remove rescue dogs and sound devices from the scene of the incident, but will continue to search for bodies among the wreckage.
«Our main responsibility at the moment is to give [the families] a sense of completion,» he said.
No one could be rescued from the scene after the first hours since the collapse on June 24.
At the moment, the authorities are preparing to investigate the circumstances of the tragedy, while the families of the victims have already filed at least six lawsuits.
