SURFSIDE, FLA. — Federal investigators say the partial collapse of Champlain Towers South in 2021 probably began at the building’s pool deck rather than in the main tower, with signs of structural issues apparent weeks before the disaster.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) provided an update Tuesday, based on physical evidence, computer modeling, and large-scale testing.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
Judith Mitrani-Reiser, lead of the NIST team, noted that signs of distress were visible across the pool deck and ground-level parking area for months, if not years, prior to the collapse. Corrosion, shrinking concrete, and improperly constructed slab-column joints appear to have weakened the pool deck connections.
Glenn Bell, NIST associate lead, said alarm system records and eyewitness accounts indicate the pool deck may have failed at least seven minutes before the tower itself. He added that while the pool deck shows the most likely starting point, some events in the tower could also have contributed to the collapse.
Investigators found that the slab-column connections in the pool deck were critically understrength, and structural flaws allowed the collapse to spread through the middle and east portions of the tower.
The June 24, 2021, collapse claimed the lives of residents ranging from infants to the elderly. International rescue teams assisted in the days-long recovery. The towers have since been demolished and are planned for redevelopment.
Officials said the investigation is continuing, with a comprehensive public update expected in Spring 2026.
That’s what happens when an idiot contractor tries to save a few pennies on the proper formula for concrete.
soil erosion