I mean, this doesn't just happen. Alvarez is still dealing with the trauma. "I looked to my left and half of the apartment is gone, look forward and the elevator shaft is there and there's no elevator, it's just two holes," Aguero told NBC South Florida. A total of 98 people died when the building partially collapsed on June 24, 2021. With Eyal traveling for work often, Gabe told CBS News he decided to live with his mom and teen sister to help them out. At least 34 lawsuits have been filed by families of victims since the collapse, accusing building officials, the condo board and others of ignoring structural defects. "Nothing like this has ever been seen, at least not in the 40 years I've been doing this," Direktor told ABC News. Survivors of Surfside condo collapse speak out 03:45 Sadly, no one . The National Institute of Standards and Technology,the main federal agency conducting the probe, has said it expects the investigation to take at least two years, as every piece of evidence must be thoroughly analyzed, and all hypotheses evaluated,according to its latest statement. "It's very hard for us to even think about these people that are not there with us anymore," he said. "We're lucky to be here.". "She lived there for a long time," said Adam Schwartzbaum, her attorney, "and she was planning to live there for the rest of her life. "I remember screaming to my mom and my sister, 'Run, run, just run for your life,'" Gabe said, adding that he heard screaming from others and it felt like a nightmare. Switchboard: (305) 751-6692 ALVAREZ: Yes, I go every day. And there was water - a lot of water. Gabe told his sister to leave the apartment with him, and when they got to the lobby, they joined their mom and started to run. New Jersey family recounts surviving Surfside building collapse Miami Condo Building Collapse: Updates, Demolition Video - Intelligencer So Sara went to the front lobby to talk to the security guard. It was. First responders arrive at the partially . Of the 136 condominium units, approximately 55 were destroyed along the northeast corridor, according to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Raide Jadallah. She kept telling me what to do. The apartments were gone.. Yes. She convinced him to have a beer at the dining room table. An aerial view showing a partially collapsed building in Surfside near Miami Beach, Fla., June 24, 2021. "I walked out with my pajamas and my phone.". The condominium is a mix of full-time residents, seasonal residents, renters and short-term visitors, so authorities have been relying largely on neighbors and word of mouth, according to the official. Instead she's been sleeping in a chair, constantly thinking of the victims who couldn't escape. But the staircase directly outside their unit was collapsing, he said, so they had to find another one. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! "It was pitch black. ALVAREZ: It makes me think that the engineer did not properly do his work. Some of the victims of the devastating condo collapse in Surfside, Fla., may have been alive for hours after the building first caved in but were never found alive by rescue . But her mother, Angela Gonzalez, and her sister, Deven Gonzalez, did survive. GARCIA-NAVARRO: And this is, of course, the middle of the night, so it's dark. Sometimes, if were not sure if its blunt force trauma, the doctor will choose to put the general overarching event, Darren Caprara, director of operations at the medical examiners office, told USA Today about using building collapse as the cause of death. 00:49. Initially, 150 people were thought to be missing. Which of the following structure contains osteocytes? Firefighters officially ended their search for bodies in the debris of the collapsed Surfside condo building on Friday I know it. They have no luggage. Susana Alvarez is 62. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. I had this beautiful condo by the beach. Survivors recount horror of Surfside building collapse: 'We - ABC News "There was no . Did Anyone Survive The Condo Collapse? - FAQS Clear Jeff Pias, 60, was staying with his . Gabe said it sounded like construction but in the middle of the night, it was suspect. "Three families that I know well," he . Florida condo collapse Death toll rises to 11; authorities name Surfside Collapse Survivor Sues Condo Association - The Real Deal South ALVAREZ: I was in bed, and I heard a tremor. ALVAREZ: Yes. Rodriguez helped neighbors escape to a second-floor balcony where firefighters helped them to the ground. I won't leave. Yes, I want answers. "Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency," the statement noted. After he saw the damage on TV, De Moura said he had to drive his car to the condo building to see it for himself. The structural engineer has been around for a while. As the search for survivors enters itsfifth day,those who escaped are recounting harrowingtales of survival after last weeks condo collapse in Surfside. Deven Gonzalez, left, and her volleyball teammate Liyah Deveaux. It was not a clap of thunder and it wasn't a storm; it was something else," Albert Aguero told ABC News' T.J. Holmes in an interview Friday on "Good Morning America.". ALVAREZ: Not to that extent. Survivors recount harrowing escape from collapsed condo. The Champlain Towers South condominium was built in the 1980s and was up for its 40-year recertification, according to Surfside officials. Where victims and survivors lived in Champlain Towers South condo "Especially at nighttime. Surfside is a few miles north of Miami Beach. But, The June 24 collapse killed 97 people 96 bodies were pulled from the debris and one died at a hospital after being removed and. She hasn't slept in a bed since the collapse a week ago. "I feel like I'm mourning every minute for someone in the building," she said. June 2021: The collapse. Capponi's organization, Global Empowerment Mission, has distributed roughly $75,000 in gift cards among surfside survivors, and he's also working with hotel and condo owners to find places they can live for the next two months. GARCIA-NAVARRO: It sounds like you want answers. Survivors of the Florida condo collapse describe the whole building This is a 1 in 10,000 year earthquake that hits Florida.. Its not known. The uncle of a 15-year-old who survived the Champlain Towers South collapse in Surfside, Florida, two weeks ago called the man who found the teenager in the rubble to thank him. Contact this reporter at kvlamis@insider.com. Last Wednesday night, hours before the collapse, Erick De Moura was walking out of girlfriend Fernanda Figueiredos Miami Beach home to head to his condo in Champlain Towers South. "I don't think I've really processed what happened.". "I don't have anything," said the 62-year-old survivor of the condominium building collapse just outside Miami. A mother and daughter who survived the Florida condo collapse that killed 98 people describe how they survived falling when the floor gave way. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Have a news tip? When they opened their door, they sawsky and beach where their neighbors doors had once stood. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Argentina, Colombia, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela have all reported nationals who have been affected by the building collapse in Surfside, with more than a dozen still missing. Death Toll Climbs To 18 In The Surfside Condo Collapse, With 145 Missing First responders have not heard any voices coming from the pile but have continuously picked up sounds, according to Jadallah. "The building swayed like a sheet of paper. Required fields are marked *. First published on July 14, 2021 / 2:21 PM. Like, you feel like an earthquake is happening right in front of you," he said. The rumble was followed by a loud crash and debris as part of a condo complex collapsed in Surfside . By Wilson Wong. "It could have been a very different thing," Janette Aguero said, her voice wavering with emotion. "I looked to the left and the apartment to our left was half sheared off. Florida Building Collapse: Death Toll Climbs To 18, With 145 Missing : Live Updates: Miami-Area Condo Collapse It has now been nearly a week since rescue crews last pulled anyone alive from the . As of Friday night, at least four people were confirmed dead and 159 people were unaccounted for as search crews continued to work through the wreckage. Schechter, whose home is in a part of the building that is still standing, said she was asleep when she began hearing noises that were followed by shaking and rumbling. The Associated Press reported that the $1 billion settlement would come from several sources, including insurance companies, engineering companies and a luxury condominium that had recently been built next door. A class-action complaint updated on Nov. 10 alleges that the towers were badly damaged and destabilized because of excavation and construction at the neighboring 18-story Eighty Seven Park condominium, according to court documents. The familys condo was on the ninth floor of the 12-story Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Florida. That is what they said, OK? I wish I had had different shoes on, he said, noting he was wearing flip flops at the time. (AP), LIVE UPDATES: SURFSIDE CONDO BUILDING COLLAPSE. I can't imagine. It's not like her, and it's not like me, and when I woke up at 5:30, I understood why." Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. The June 24 collapse killed 97 people 96 bodies were pulled from the debris and one died at a hospital after being removed and one person who is missing has still not been identified among the remains. As they stepped onto the beach, Alfredo said he could hear the cries for help coming from the wreckage. Ninety-six bodies were recovered from the Champlain Towers South collapse site in Surfside, Florida, while one other victim who died at a hospital brings the official death toll to 97. The bodies of 83-year-old Antonio Lozano and his wife, 79-year-old Gladys Lozano, were recovered from the wreckage by first responders on June 24 and June 25, respectively. Its so difficult to put into words because of the people that are there, but Im grateful to be alive, he said. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. I left the cat behind, and I ran out. Photos: Florida beachfront condo collapses, Surfside mourns victims as death toll nears 100, One year later, Surfside survivors recall collapse and healing journey, Memorial held for victims of the Surfside tragedy on anniversary of the condo collapse, Judge approves $1 billion settlement in deadly Florida condo collapse, "Voice in the rubble" victim of Surfside condo collapse is identified, Lawsuit claims construction triggered deadly condo collapse, history of maintenance and structural concerns. Balboa said he told the uncle, Sorry I couldnt get to his sister faster.. A few seconds later, his bed and room began to shake and Rosenthal jumped out of bed to see what was happening. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. They chose to live in Champlain Towers South. 3:07 PM EDT, Tue July 6, 2021, Video shows boy rescued from rubble in building collapse, saw that a major section of the condo complex had collapsed.