ToplineSurfside, Florida, where 24 people have been confirmed dead, saw the remainder of the condo collapse on Sunday night. However, rescue efforts for the remaining 121 people, who remain unaccounted, are expected to resume soon.The Champlain Towers South condominium building's remaining structure has been demolished for more than a week... [+] after it partially fell in Surfside, Fla. ASSOCIATED PRSThe Key FactsAround 10:30 PM local time, the Champlain Towers South uncollapsed section was demolished. The Mayor of Miami-Dade County Daniella Levine Cava informed reporters that the search and rescue teams would resume operations after the area is deemed safe. Residents living in nearby buildings weren't required to evacuate, but were asked to remain indoors and to turn off their air conditioners to prevent dust particles that Cava stated were inevitable by the demolition process. On Saturday, search efforts were stopped at the spot to allow engineers to prepare it for demolition. The demolition was necessary to enable further rescue and search efforts to be carried out safely, as the structure's precarious state posed a danger to rescue workers. The demolition was forced to be done quickly due to Tropical Storm Elsa, which brought heavy rains and winds to South Florida at speeds of up to 60 mph.TangentA county judge denied a request by a woman to enter the building to save pets just 30 minutes before it was demolished. According to the Miami Herald the plaintiff claimed she knew of a cat living in one of the tower's units. The judge rejected the petition, citing the burden it would impose on rescue and search efforts. Cava stated that every effort was made to rescue any pets believed to be stuck in the building's remaining section, but that no animals were ever found.Important BackgroundOver 11 days, rescue teams have carefully searched the rubble from the collapsed building and have recovered 24 bodies. The hope of finding any survivors is rapidly diminishing as around 121 people remain unaccounted for. However, local officials are not giving up. Charles Burkett, Surfside Mayor, pointed to a BBC documentary in which they pulled out a lady from Bangladesh after 17 days. Keep watching, and we are prepared to handle the effects of the tropical storm. Ron DeSantis spoke at a Sunday press conference.Continue readingMayor Says That Demolishing the Miami Condo's Remainder Will Accelerate Recovery of Missing People (Forbes).Surfside condo's remaining portion was demolished 11 days after partial collapse (Miami Herald).CNN reports that the Surfside condo's remaining portion has been demolished.
