Collapse of US Apartment Diagnosed as 'Severe Damage' in Inspection 3 Years Ago

[Photo by AFP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Byunghee Park] The apartment building in Florida, USA, that collapsed in the early hours of the 24th (local time) was already diagnosed as severely damaged during an inspection three years ago, the New York Times (NYT) reported on the 26th (local time).

According to a report released by Surfside authorities in Miami-Dade County, Florida, structural engineer Frank Morabito, who inspected the building at the time, recorded that the concrete slab under the outdoor swimming pool was severely damaged, and many cracks were found in the underground parking lot’s columns and walls. Morabito diagnosed, "Although some damage is minor, most of the corroded concrete areas need to be repaired promptly." He particularly evaluated that there was a defect in the waterproofing material under the deck surrounding the pool, pointing out that "this caused significant structural damage to the concrete slab below," and warned, "If the waterproofing is not replaced soon, concrete corrosion will progress considerably."

Damage was also found in various parts of the underground parking lot beneath the swimming pool. Morabito wrote in the report, "Many cracks and crumbled areas were observed in the concrete columns and walls."

Additionally, the report included residents’ complaints about water leaking through window and balcony door gaps, as well as the corroded condition of concrete on several balconies.

The residents’ committee responsible for managing the apartment was planning to begin large-scale repairs soon based on this report, which was prepared about three years ago.

Kenneth Director, the committee’s attorney, stated, "The apartment collapsed just before construction was about to start." He said that if residents had known the building was damaged severely enough to collapse, they would have acted completely differently.

Eliana Solzhauer, a Surfside operations committee member, pointed out that the problems found during the 2018 inspection could have sufficiently contributed to the building’s collapse. She noted, "The residents’ committee was clearly informed that there were issues with the apartment but seems to have taken no action."