A highrise condo building in Surfside, north of Miami Beach, collapsed overnight, resulting in a massive relief/rescue effort by local emergency authorities.
By 7:30 a.m., some survivors — including at least one child — had been rescued from the rubble. Police said later that at least one person had been killed.
The 12-story oceanfront structure at 8777 Collins Ave., called Champlain Towers South, has 136 units and was built in 1981, according to real estate websites and city property records, The New York Times reported.
Fiorella Terenzi, an associate professor at Florida International University who lives in a neighboring building, Champlain Towers East, said she woke up early Thursday to a loud noise, the newspaper reported. She said she had seen heavy equipment on the roof of the south tower for the past two weeks.
About 5:30 a.m. police reported that “A number of people” had been rescued from the rubble and were taken to nearby hospitals, including Jackson Memorial Hospital.
Dozens of rescue crews were on the scene from across Miami-Dade and Broward counties.
This story will be updated as additional information becomes available.
