There Were Signs of Imminent Collapse Before Florida Apartment Accident... Resident Testimonies Emerge

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] Residents testified that there were signs of collapse just before the apartment building in Florida, USA, collapsed in the early morning of the 24th (local time).

On the 24th (local time), The New York Times (NYT) cited the statement of Leisa Rodriguez, a resident of the apartment, reporting that "construction work that had been ongoing for some time in a nearby building complex seems to have affected the apartment's structure."

She stated that she felt vibrations shaking the apartment throughout the construction period. The construction was reported to have been completed at the end of last year.

CNN also reported that some residents heard creaking sounds in the apartment the day before the accident.

Pablo Rodriguez, who is waiting for news about his missing mother, said that his mother called him in the early morning the day before, saying "there is a creaking sound."

He said, "My mother woke up around 3 a.m. because of the noise," adding, "The sound was that loud."

He continued, "She said it without much thought, but looking back now, it seems suspicious."

While authorities are still investigating the cause of the accident, various speculations are emerging among experts.

Peter Daiga, president of a construction company, explained to The Washington Post (WP) that there could be various factors such as design or construction material issues, environmental impact, or poor workmanship.

He said, "Such an event can only happen when multiple catastrophic incidents overlap," adding, "We should not conclude a single cause and must investigate carefully and slowly."

Kobi Karp, an architect involved in constructing several buildings in Surfside and Miami Beach, diagnosed that there might have been a problem with the apartment's internal structure.

He pointed out to the NYT the possibility that the horizontal slab-shaped structure corroded where it met the vertically standing support walls, causing an entire floor to collapse.