Miami-Dade fire rescue chief Andy Alvarez got choked up talking about the rescue effort underway at the wreckage site of the partially collapsed Miami condo, as he said emergency personnel are beginning to find 'human remains.'
On Saturday, Alvarez informed families of missing people that responders are recovering 'human remains' during search and rescue operations in Surfside, WPLG reporter Glenna Milberg tweeted.
A day prior Alvarez spoke to CNN's Wolf Blitzer and pleaded for people to keep the faith.
'You've got to have hope,' he said, holding back tears. 'We're doing everything that we can to bring your family member out alive.'
As of Saturday, four people have been confirmed dead and 159 people remain missing.
Holding back tears, Alvarez said 'You've got to have hope. We're doing everything that we can to bring your family member out alive'
The 12-story Champlain Towers South beachfront building collapsed at about 1.30am on Thursday in Miami's Surfside neighborhood
Helpless families have been posting missing persons posters and holding prayer vigils for unaccounted for loved ones as they wait for rescue workers to comb through the wreckage.
Alvarez said 72 local fire stations and 2,500 personnel are working around the clock and multiple Florida task forces are utilizing the 'highest' tech and rescue tools to help recover survivors from the rubble,
When Blitzer asked Alvarez what his message was for the families desperately awaiting information on their unaccounted loved ones the chief told the families to not give up.
'Have hope. There's always hope,' Alvarez said.
Alvarez said 72 local fire stations and 2,500 personnel are working around the clock and multiple Florida task forces are utilizing the 'highest' tech and rescue tools to help recover survivors from the rubble
On Saturday, Alvarez informed families of missing people responders are recovering 'human remains' during search and rescue operations in Surfside
Alvarez began to get choked up when he recalled his rescue efforts in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake that devastated the Caribbean island.
'I was in Haiti and eight days after we were there, we took a girl out of a collapse,' he said holding back tears. 'You've got to have hope. We're doing everything that we can to bring your family member out alive.'
Alvarez added that rescue workers are also putting their lives on the line and they are working tirelessly to find survivors.
'It's personal, our job is to get people out safely,' Alvarez said as his voice broke. 'It's stressful, obviously, on the frontline workers, because they're in the building. But it's just as stressful when you're in the command room making those tough decisions of putting these people in harm's way to try to save those that are inside,'
Alvarez apologized to Blitzer for getting emotional and the CNN host told the chief that rescue workers efforts are highly appreciated.
'These are the hardest kinds of decisions that leaders like you have to make, because we know you are putting the men and women who work with you potentially in grave danger as well, as they search for life in the rubble,' Blitzer said.
While the focus now is on the hunt for survivors, questions are being asked about what caused the 1980s building to suddenly collapse.
A team of scientists and engineers from the federal government agency responsible for leading investigations into building failures is now being sent to the collapse site to gather information on what went wrong.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) told The Hill the experts will 'work with federal, state and local authorities to identify and preserve materials that might be helpful in understanding why the collapse occurred.'
The assistance from the group, set up after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, comes as speculation continues to build over whether this week's tragedy could have been avoided.
It emerged Thursday that scientists had warned that the condo building was sinking and in a potentially dangerous condition one year before it collapsed, while it was due a safety certification review for the first time in 40 years. It had also just undergone improvements to its roof.
Authorities have not yet determined what caused the collapse and Miami-Dade police have opened an investigation - though Mayor Cava said 'there has been no evidence found of foul play.'
Surfside Town Manager Andy Hyatt told CNN Friday morning there had been no concerns about the building's safety prior to the disaster but said the town would carry out 'due diligence' to determine both what caused it and to ensure other buildings in the area are safe.
However, it has emerged that a 2020 study from Florida International University found the Champlain Towers South sea-view condo development was sinking at a rate of about 2 millimeters a year in the 1990s because it sits on reclaimed wetlands.
The oceanfront building was also due to have its safety recertified for the first time in 40 years this year which included the need for 'extensive repairs for rusted steel and damaged concrete' on parts of the structure.
It has also been revealed that the tower had recently undergone construction work on its roof, sparking fears this may have piled on additional weight to the sinking structure.
No comments:
Post a Comment