Local Officials Knew Surfside Building Had Problems But Nothing Was Done

By now, you have all heard about the building collapse near Miami in the town of Surfside. The tragic event still has over 100 missing with the death toll continuing to rise. This event is a tragic one, but one that could have possibly been prevented.

New details have emerged about how local officials were made aware of potential issues with the structural integrity of the building. The building had been inspected multiple times with multiple issues reported as far back as 2018. Documents released by the town show that local officials had records of the issues and the plans to attempt to fix the building. Tragically, those repairs never took place.

The report that was issued back in 2018 included photos of cracked concrete, tile, and damaged sealant around the building. The photos are clear evidence that the management of the building did not properly care for the building. Even when reported to town officials, nothing was done until the mandatory 40-year evaluation was set to be conducted.

While there is no clearly decided cause of the collapse, most indications are pointing to the structural integrity of the building at this point. If that is the case, who is to blame?

Are we to blame the management of the building for its poor upkeep? Do we blame the town for its failure to follow up on the reports and to assure the safety of the structure? That is perhaps the multimillion-dollar question at this point.

What is even more concerning are the reports that there are significant concerns about the structural integrity of the remaining sister building that is still standing. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says that the town mayor must decide if the building is unsafe and to order the residents out if so. The mayor does not seem sold on the idea of it.

In a report by The New York Times, he says that he was also concerned but was not “philosophically comfortable” in ordering the people out of their homes. As of Saturday night, he said that any evacuation was voluntary and he had no intentions of issuing a mandatory one.

Rescuers continue to work and try to find survivors but hope continues to diminish as the hours pass. Our thoughts and prayers go out to those missing, their families, and those involved in the entire operation.

Content syndicated from TheLibertyLoft.com with permission.