(WSVN) – Years after the Surfside Tower tragedy, we are reflecting on what happened and what we can learn from it.
It was a day that shook South Florida. The Champlain Tower South in Surfside collapsed, killing 98 people within minutes.
Engineer Greg Bautista: “I immediately got in the car and went to the scene and saw all the other ambulances going by and people hugging each other. And it was really, really eerie. ”
Greg Bautista is an engineer. He has been inspecting buildings in Florida for 30 years and specializes in concrete restoration projects.
The exact cause of the Champlain Tower collapse is still under investigation, but in its latest report, the National Institute of Standards and Technology confirmed that the pool deck collapsed at least four minutes before the building collapsed.
Survivor of apartment collapse: “As we were going down the stairs to the emergency ramp, everyone was screaming and panicking.”
Tests revealed that the reinforced concrete columns supporting the pool and tower were only half as strong as they should be. This means the columns did not meet building codes when the tower was built in 1980. Testing also revealed that some of the steel was severely corroded.
Batista said it’s a common sight in South Florida, especially along the coast.
Greg Bautista: “This is what’s called a spall. A spall is where the concrete just starts to come up, because the steel underneath the concrete is corroding and expanding.”
Spalling, or concrete spalling, is caused when concrete cracks and pulls away from its steel support, Batista said.
Greg Bautista: “So how do we know this is debris? If you knock on this, you won’t hear it. But if you knock on this, it’ll sound hollow.”
He said what happened at Surfside appears to have been a perfect storm, meaning it wasn’t just one issue that caused the collapse and should serve as a warning to all condominium residents.
Greg Bautista: “If there’s anything to be learned from this, it’s that people need to be vigilant. They’re on the front lines. They’re looking at this building every day.”
He said people should be on the lookout for cracks and other deterioration in buildings.
Heather Walker: “Where should residents look?”
Greg Bautista: “Well, just like the structure of the human body, it’s basically bones. Bones are what keep you falling to the ground. So as far as buildings go, bones are basically pillars. What you see is basically your beam.”
Batista says if you notice anything that concerns you, you should report it to your condo board. If they don’t take action, contact the building department to make sure the boards are repaired.
Greg Bautista: “Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance.”
Corrosion can be prevented by simple methods such as painting.
Greg Bautista: “A lot of people like to say that every stitch of time you spend saves nine people. In this particular example, every stitch of time you save a million dollars. Because these Not only will repairs be costly if left unchecked, but they will also be dangerous in the end.”
The Condominium Law passed in response to the wave disaster requires more inspections and a reserve fund for repairs. Batista believes these new laws will prevent new building collapses.
Greg Bautista: “It’s very unlikely, very unlikely. It’s possible, but very unlikely.”
A final report on the cause of the Champlain Tower collapse is expected to be released next year. In the meantime, engineers like Batista are doing their part to prevent further tragedies.
Heather Walker, 7News.
Contact 7 investigates:
305-627-CLUE
954-921-CLUE
[email protected]
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
