Federal condo collapse probe in ‘very early stages’

By: The Associated Press//November 10, 2021//

Federal condo collapse probe in ‘very early stages’

The Associated Press//November 10, 2021//

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FILE - Rescue workers use a tarp for recovered remains at the site of the collapsed Champlain Towers South condo building, Monday, July 5, 2021 in Surfside, Fla. Officials say the federal probe into the deadly collapse is gaining steam but is far from completion. The National Institute of Standards and Technology did not provide any firm timetable at a meeting Monday, Nov. 8, 2021, for results on the cause of the June 24 collapse. The disaster killed 98 people but officials say public expectations for a swift conclusion are misguided. Armed with $22 million from Congress, NIST has created six separate teams of experts to examine the disaster. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File) — On July 5, rescue workers recovered remains from rubble of the Champlain Towers South building in Florida. The investigation of the collapse is expected to take much more time. (Lynne Sladky/AP file)

By Curt Anderson

The Associated Press

From soils underground to eyes in the sky, the federal probe into a Florida condominium building鈥檚 deadly collapse is gaining steam but is far from completion, officials said Monday.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology did not provide any firm timetable Monday for release of results of the investigation into the cause of the June 24 collapse of the Champlain Towers South building. The disaster killed 98 people in Surfside, north of Miami.

Public expectations for a swift conclusion are misguided, several members of a NIST construction safety advisory committee said Monday.

鈥淥bviously, it鈥檚 the very early stages,鈥� committee chairman Reginald DesRoches said. 鈥淲e need to get this right. It鈥檚 not something that鈥檚 going to happen quickly.鈥�

Armed with $22 million in supplemental funding from Congress, NIST has created six separate teams of experts to examine various aspects of the Champlain Towers collapse, NIST investigation team leader Judith Mitrani-Reiser said.

These include efforts to: figure out how the building was designed initially, what changes were made and what deteriorated; examine data collected by aerial drones and remote sensors; inspect hundreds of pieces of rubble for structural failure clues; and determine whether soils, underground rock or vibrations from nearby construction may have played a role.

For many聽victims聽and condo owners, the probe is not moving nearly fast enough. David Rodan, whose brother and cousin died in the collapse, said people like him remain almost entirely in the dark.

鈥淔our months should be enough for a little more information,鈥� Rodan told the panel. 鈥淚 really hope in the next NIST presentation that we start getting some of these answers.鈥�

Investigators are interviewing witnesses and asking people to provide any information, photos, videos or other material pertinent to the probe through an聽NIST portal.

Parallel to the NIST probe is an ongoing court case in which a Miami-Dade County judge has appointed a receiver to handle sale of the property, access to evidence for experts hired by lawyers and financial details such as insurance policies.

Circuit Judge Michael Hanzman has named a mediator to work through claims for compensation by condo owners and those who lost loved ones in the collapse. That process also is taking time.

Several NIST advisory committee members said their investigation will be lengthy because it is unique, with no obvious reason the 12-story building fell suddenly without warning.

A mandated 40-year safety review of Champlain Towers was just beginning when it collapsed. Warnings of major structural deficiencies had been issued years earlier.

鈥淥ur work will probably extend beyond two years,鈥� said Glenn Bell, associate lead NIST investigator. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a very complex investigation. Everybody鈥檚 anxious for answers.鈥�