Rescue crews are continuing to search through the rubble for survivors after a 12-story oceanfront condo tower partially collapsed early Thursday in Surfside, just north of Miami Beach city limits.
Part of Champlain Towers South Condo, 8777 Collins Ave, the portion that crumbled faces the beach.
Here’s what we know so far:
Hotline and community center set up to reunite families at condo collapse in Surfside
A reunification hotline and center have been set up to reunite families with loved ones from Champlain Towers South, the oceanfront building in Surfside that partially collapsed early Thursday.
Families who have relatives who live or work at the building and are unaccounted for or know that they are safe should call 305-614-1819 to notify officials, said Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, the agency taking the lead in the search-and-rescue mission.
The family reunification base, at the Surfside Community Center, is at 9301 Collins Ave., a few blocks north of the condo.
Here’s how the condo collapse near Miami Beach will worsen rush hour traffic
Rush hour drivers who usually take Collins Avenue and Harding Avenue in Miami Beach near the 79th Street Causeway or the Broad Causeway should use alternate routes after Thursday morning’s building collapse in Surfside.
Southbound Collins Avenue traffic, for example, is being sent west at 96th Street, where Bal Harbour turns into Surfside and southbound Collins turns into one-way Harding Avenue. That means more of a traffic slog on Kane Concourse in Bay Harbor Islands and the Broad Causeway, which ends at Northeast 123rd Street on the mainland.
An alternate route might be to head up to Northeast 163rd Street and take that over to the mainland.
See the full list of detours and alternate routes here.
Champlain Towers South was built in the 1980s and is on the oceanfront
The Champlain Towers South Condo at 8777 Collins Ave is 40 years old. It was completed in 1981 with more than 100 units.
The oceanside property is a block north of Miami Beach city limits. The town of Surfside runs along Collins Avenue, south of Bal Harbour. Condos and motels line Collins Avenue.
It also has two sister buildings, Champlain Towers North and Champlain Towers East.
Condos recently for sale in the building were listed at $600,000 to $699,000, according to multiple real estate websites.
To live at Champlain Towers South Condo comes with a hefty price tag.
Read the full story here.
At least 1 dead, 10 injured as search and rescue continues
A 12-story oceanfront condo tower partially collapsed early Thursday morning on Collins Avenue in the town of Surfside, spurring a massive search-and-rescue effort with dozens of rescue crews from across Miami-Dade and Broward counties.
Part of Champlain Towers South Condo, completed in 1981 with more than 100 units at 8777 Collins Ave., collapsed around 2 a.m. A portion of the building facing the beach crumbled, leaving a heap of rubble.
Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett confirmed that 10 people were treated for injuries on-site, two transported to the hospital, and at least one person has died. Authorities anticipate more fatalities.
Read the full story here.
