A new review has lowered the number of those missing in the Miami, Florida condominium that collapsed last Friday. However, the collapse has sparked fears of another potential catastrophic tragedy involving another tower has prompted engineers to deem it unsafe.
The 156-unit tower, identified as Crestview Towers, has since been evacuated due to unsafe conditions surrounding the building’s structure and electricity, the Associated Press reported.
“In an abundance of caution, the City ordered the building closed immediately and the residents evacuated for their protection, while a full structural assessment is conducted and next steps are determined,” City Manager Arthur H. Sorey III said in a news release.
The collapse of the Champlain Towers has raised concerns among municipal officials in both South Florida and statewide. Older high rises are under scrutiny in the wake of the collapse.
Residents of the recently evacuated tower were seen on Friday leaving out with suitcases and packing items into their cars outside the building that was built in 1972.
City officials have also aided in finding places for residents to go.
Four more bodies have been added to the list of fatalities, including the body of a 7-year-old girl. The death toll is now at 22.
After a closer inspection, the list of missing people has dropped from 145 to 126. Investigators found duplicate names to cross off, and some reported missing residents have turned up safe, officials announced.
“So this is very, very good news,” Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said. She also said the numbers were expected to keep changing as detectives continue reviewing the list and verifying reports.
The mayor has signed an emergency order to demolish the remaining part of the collapsed building. Once engineers sign off on it, the mayor’s order will help speed up the process to tear it down quickly. Still, it may be weeks before it happens.
“Our top priority is search and rescue. We will take no action that will jeopardize our search-and-rescue efforts,” Levine Cava said. “The building poses a threat to public health and safety.”
