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Federal investigators reveal cause of 2021 Surfside condo collapse
Federal investigators released the results of their investigation into what caused the deadly 2021 collapse of the Champlain Towers South condo in Miami that killed 98 people.
TL;DR
- The 2021 collapse of Champlain Towers South was caused by the failure of two garage column connections beneath the pool deck.
- This failure, occurring three weeks before the collapse, led to cracks and load redistribution in the pool deck, initiating a domino effect.
- Investigators found the building failed to meet safety requirements at the time of its construction 40 years ago.
- Deviations from the original design, addition of weight to the pool deck, and corrosion contributed to the structural deficiencies.
- A 2018 survey had already identified major structural damage and failed waterproofing in the pool deck.
- Warning signs of the imminent collapse were ignored prior to the event.