As of 10:30 p.m. Sunday, the remaining portion of the collapsed Miami condo has been demolished.
Daniella Levine Cava, Miami-Dade’s Mayor, told CNN during a briefing late that evening that once the area is said to be secure following the demolition, the search for the remaining missing people will continue.
On Saturday, officials paused their search efforts around 4 p.m. so that engineers could secure the area and prepare for the demolition. Officials said authorities needed to continue to search for survivors safely.
“As soon as the building is down and once the site is deemed secure, we will have our first responders back on the pile to immediately resume their work,” Levine Cava said Sunday night.
The mayor called the method of demolition “energetic felling,” describing it as a method that “uses small, strategically placed explosives and relies on gravity to bring the building down in place.”
The demolition was confined to the immediate area around the building, and nearby residents were asked to stay inside as a precautionary measure, the mayor informed.
Officials have worked hard to race against Tropical Storm Elsa, which has South Florida in its path for heavy rain and sustained winds of 60 mph.
Sunday marked the 11th day since the 136-unit condo’s partial collapse. At least 24 people have been confirmed dead, and 121 remain missing.
Among those who have died are 4- and 10-year-old sisters, an elderly couple, and a firefighter’s daughter.
Nicole Mejias told CNN five of her family members were inside the condo when it fell down, including 7-year-old Stella Cattarossi, the daughter of the Miami firefighter. Cattarossi’s body was found Thursday night.
“We just miss them so much already, we wish this tragedy didn’t happen, and will always remember them,” Mejias said.
