'I didn’t see anything alarming': Engineer who visited Surfside condo last year recounts what he saw
A lot has been made of a 2018 engineering report that revealed “major structural damage” in parts of Surfside condo that collapsed June 24.
Industry insiders caution why no one should be jumping to conclusions.
Investigative Reporter Katie LaGrone reports from Surfside.
CUSTOMERS ARE USED TO SEEING ATTHAT TIME DURING PREVIOUS YEARS,WILL BE SOLD OUT.MORE NOW ON A 2018 ENGINEERINGREPORT REVEALING "MAJORSTRUCTURAL DAMAGE" IN PARTS OTHE SURFSIDE CONDOMINIUM THATCOLLAPSED ONE WEEK AGO TODAY━TONIGHT WE’RE LEARNING NEWDETAILS ABOUT THE 13TH FLOORPENTHOUSE THAT WAS ADDED VERYLATE IN THE PROJECT..
THAT WASACTUALLY BEING BUILT TO BE JUST12 STORIES.TONIGHT FOX 4’S KATIE LAGRONESPEAKS TO ONE ENGINEER WHOACTUALLY DID A WALK-THRU OF THISBUILDING LAST YEAR.00-300-15115-12220-230NEARLY ONE WEEK TO THE HOURLATERTHE HUNT CARRIES ON FOR VICTIMS,SURVIVORSAND ANSWERS.presser- sot Miami Dade FireChief"it’s been tough, i just want toemphasize that.
It’s been tough"THIS VIDEO RELEASED BY MIAMIDADE FIRE RESCUE SHOWS THEMONSTROUS MOUNTAIN OFRUBBLERESPONDERS METICULOUSLYSIFTING THROUGH AMID SO MANYRISKSINCLEMENT WEATHERWITH THEODDS OF SUCCESS DWINDLING EACHHOUsot Miami Dade Mayorthe number of deceased is now at16 confirmedOFF SITETHERE ARE FEW UPDATES ABOUT THEBUILDING’S HISTOR━NEWLY RELEASED DOCUMENTS SHOW 40YEARS AG━ THE TOWER’S 13THFLOOR PENTHOUSE ADDITION FUELEDAN ORDER TO IMMEDIATELY CEASCONSTRUCTIO━ IT VIOLATED TOWNCODE.
BUT TOWN COUNCIL GRANTEDAN EXCEPTION.MANY QUESTIONS STILL CENTER ONTHIS 2018 INSPECTION REPORT ASPART OF THE BUILDING’S 40 YEACERTIFICATIONENGINEERS FOUND "majorstructural damage" FROM DRAINAISSUES IN THE GARAGE AND UNDERTHE POOL DECKAND "abundantcracking"40:33- i’m 100% shocked.
I thini may be more shocked than mostpeopleSHOCKED BECAUSE STRUCTURALENGINEER JASON BORDE━ ACTUALLYDID A WALK- THROUGH OF THE SOUTHTOWER- IN JANUARY OF LAST YEAR.37:41- i spent about an hour onsite, walked through with theproperty manager and a residentwho pointed out some issues theyknew about in the building thatthey felt needed to be addressedINCLUDING STUCCO DETERIORATIOCONCRETE CRACKING ON BALCONIESAND IN THE PARKING GARAG━BORDEN SAYS NOTHING STOOD OUT.38:06- i didn’t see anythingalarming or made me feel unsafein the building or what we’vedone in the past at otherlocations..
If we see somethiwe will direct the owner toimmediately place suring orimmediately brace the situatito have it resolved and madsafe and i didn’t see anything ifelt necessitated that action.FOR BORDEN IT WAS JUST THE ONEVISIT- BUT WATCHING IT CRUMBLE ALITTLE OVER A YEAR LATER HASBEEN DIFFICULT TO COMPREHEND40:38- in our understanding,buildings don’t fall down anwhen they do have failures theygive us time to address them.40:47- the fact that this camedown in the manner that it didcompletely blows me away.
I wascompletely unprepared to dealwith something like thatWHILE THE FOCUS REMAINS RESCUEAND RECOVER━ THE PRESS FORANSWERS INTO HOW AND WHY THTOWER FELL IS A TOP PRIORITY FORLOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAINVESTIGATORS WHO WILL ALL BEINVOLVED IN THE FORENSICINVESTIGATION OF THIS COLLAPSE.TYPICAL PROBES INVOLVERECONSTRUCTING THE BUILDINGSOMEWHERE ELSETO DETERMI