'Deep Concerns': Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett On Sister Building Of Condo That Collapsed
SURFSIDE (CBSMiami) - While the search continues at the site of Champlain Towers South condo collapse in Surfside continues, the town's mayor said they have concerns about another building.
Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett said while the investigation into what caused the collapse is ongoing, its sister building is under investigation.
"We are doing a deep dive with respect to the sister building, you know, called the Champlain Towers North, which is essentially the same building, built by the same developer at the same time, with the same plans probably with the same materials. Given we do not know why the first building fell down, we have significant concerns about that building and the residents in there. You know, from the very beginning, we worked to make sure that those residents had alternative housing if they wanted it. Several of them have taken us up on that offer," he said.
The mayor said the town is working with the building's condo board.
"We're going to do everything that we can to look at those structural systems, including ground-penetrating radar, the columns, the beams, the slabs, and try to get our arms around what may be happening, what did happen. Like I said, we have some concerns, some deep concerns, about that building, especially given we don't know what has happened," he said
Burkett said they are also responding to the owners of other large residential buildings in the town.
"We are currently responding to inquiries from our large buildings in town regarding the collapse and advising them that they should do a full structural review of their systems, he said.
The mayor said he regularly meets with the families anxiously awaiting word on their loved ones who are still missing.
"They've asked me if they can somehow get back down to the site to visit. I told them that I support that idea. Of course, we have to work around the rescue efforts. Whether we do it over the course of a couple of days, I think it would be very, very good for those families to again see the amazing efforts that are being expended on their behalf," he said.
