Apartment Building in Miami-Dade County, Florida Collapses

[postman1782]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/natio...se-miami-dade/

Looks like more than 80 apartment units in the 11 story building collapsed, firefighters were on the scene rescuing people from the units that didn't collapse. It is not immediately clear how many, if any people were in the units, but there is reports of multiple casualties.

No word on what caused the collapse either.

[s_bushido]

Well...that's pretty horrifying (assuming people were actually in there).

I wonder what could even cause that in Florida. A building just collapsing is the sort of thing I'd associate with an earthquake, but we don't get those here...at least not that far south.

[postman1782]

Well...that's pretty horrifying (assuming people were actually in there).

I wonder what could even cause that in Florida. A building just collapsing is the sort of thing I'd associate with an earthquake, but we don't get those here...at least not that far south.

Yeah, the only thing that I could think of that would have an effect to collapse a building in Florida, would be a pretty strong hurricane, but that isn't what happened. Hopefully they can figure out what it was that caused it.

[Elegiac]

Well...that's pretty horrifying (assuming people were actually in there).

I wonder what could even cause that in Florida. A building just collapsing is the sort of thing I'd associate with an earthquake, but we don't get those here...at least not that far south.

Given the period of construction - the 1980s - it's likely a combination of poor construction along with poor maintenance. There's a reason a lot of residential properties built during the 1980s have a tendency to start falling apart about a quarter century later, so it wouldn't surprise me if this were also a product of Wal-Mart philosophy architecture.

[Belize]

Yeah, the only thing that I could think of that would have an effect to collapse a building in Florida, would be a pretty strong hurricane, but that isn't what happened. Hopefully they can figure out what it was that caused it.

Or a sinkhole under the foundation.

[Flarelaine]

I'd place my money on shoddy construction.

[cubby]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/natio...se-miami-dade/

Looks like more than 80 apartment units in the 11 story building collapsed, firefighters were on the scene rescuing people from the units that didn't collapse. It is not immediately clear how many, if any people were in the units, but there is reports of multiple casualties.

No word on what caused the collapse either.

Reports are saying it pancaked, so survivors left inside will be minimal. No idea as to the cause yet, although that might take awhile.

[Deus Mortis]

Video of the collapse.

https://twitter.com/wsvn/status/1408...124848278.html

[cubby]

Updated reports 51 missing...that's not good given how it collapsed. Have to assume most of those are dead.

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Video of the collapse.

https://twitter.com/wsvn/status/1408...124848278.html

Holy cow.

That video capture is....weird. It seems to come from a phone/device, given how it moves around a bit. And there is sound, you can hear people in the background. But there is no audible reaction to the collapse.

[Daedius]

That's awful

[Belize]

Holy cow.

That video capture is....weird. It seems to come from a phone/device, given how it moves around a bit. And there is sound, you can hear people in the background. But there is no audible reaction to the collapse.

It's a phone recording of a security cam feed being played back. I was also windy so the security cam moves around a bit.

You can see there's a blue/white border around the video where the rest of the screen stretches.

[cubby]

It's a phone recording of a security cam feed being played back. I was also windy so the security cam moves around a bit.

You can see there's a blue/white border around the video where the rest of the screen stretches.

Bingo - thanks! I knew I was missing something.

[Doctor Amadeus]

I'd place my money on shoddy construction.

Yeah Florida don't pay no taxes for regulation.

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Bingo - thanks! I knew I was missing something.

Sooo if this is a case of poor construction is this an instant few million dollar lawsuit or nah?

[postman1782]

Video of the collapse.

https://twitter.com/wsvn/status/1408...124848278.html

Holy shit, the pictures I saw, didn't show that much down. Yeah, that is terrible.

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Video of the collapse.

https://twitter.com/wsvn/status/1408...124848278.html

Wonder how long before conspiracy theorists think it was a building implosion like they thought it was for the world trade center without evidence.

[Belize]

This is beyond unacceptable. Things like this doesn't even happen in so called shithole countries anymore. Measures must be taken to make sure all apartments are safe.

Structural issues are not uncommon in the U.S.

The i40 bridge crossing the Mississippi in between Memphis and Arkansas was closed down not too long ago for a FUCKHUEG gap in the structural beams. The inspection company were saying it was a recent thing since they inspect the bridge every 6 months, but pictures from 2019 surfaced where you can see the crack (it's really hard to miss).

Welcome to the late stage capitalist hellscape where the few try to suck up as much money from the system as possible as it literally crumbles around them, and bolt once it's unlivable. We saw it happen in mining towns decades ago when a lot of them turned into uninhabitable areas due to pollution (while mining execs made off with millions) and now it's catching up to the rest of the country's infrastructure.

[cubby]

Sooo if this is a case of poor construction is this an instant few million dollar lawsuit or nah?

I would imagine any lawyer worth their salt will go for the wrongful death and negligence and all that. However, builders usually put their construction projects within an LLC, to shield them from liability precisely from instances like this. So while the claim seems like it would be clear, damages might be tough to excise. The builders might not even exist any more, as an entity or a person.

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Holy shit, the pictures I saw, didn't show that much down. Yeah, that is terrible.

Seeing any building drop now just gives me flashbacks to 9/11. Watching those two towers go down live is our generations Pearl Harbor and Kennedy.

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This is beyond unacceptable. Things like this doesn't even happen in so called shithole countries anymore. Measures must be taken to make sure all apartments are safe.

We rarely if ever see buildings like this just drop out of no where. I can't even remember the last time something like this happened in the United States without explosives. The fallout and investigation will be very interesting.

I mean...has this literally happened in the United States in the past, say, 40 years. Of a building that was build in or since the '80's, dropping without warning, while still fully inhabited.

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Structural issues are not uncommon in the U.S.

The i40 bridge crossing the Mississippi in between Memphis and Arkansas was closed down not too long ago for a FUCKHUEG gap in the structural beams. The inspection company were saying it was a recent thing since they inspect the bridge every 6 months, but pictures from 2019 surfaced where you can see the crack (it's really hard to miss).

Welcome to the late stage capitalist hellscape where the few try to suck up as much money from the system as possible as it literally crumbles around them, and bolt once it's unlivable. We saw it happen in mining towns decades ago when a lot of them turned into uninhabitable areas due to pollution (while mining execs made off with millions) and now it's catching up to the rest of the country's infrastructure.

Bridges, sure. But buildings? Ever?

[postman1782]

Looks like massive amounts of rain might be a cause from what the mayor of the city is saying. Was watching MSNBC and he was on there talking to Brian Williams.

[Low Hanging Fruit]

Kind of a strange discussion to be having on an international message board. I mean we should discuss every fire that happens because a gas line wasn't checked or a water pipe that dripped into an electrical box. Poor maintaince happens pretty much across the world all the time, and although rare (I mean has it happen to you and everyone you know all the time?), it does lead to the destruction of property and loss of lives. Unfortunate, but kind of just the reality of the situation we call life.

[Belize]

Bridges, sure. But buildings? Ever?

100% there's a guy on imgur that posts images from inspections he does on residential building (in California I think? Nevada? Some dry deserty place) and the amount of buildings that have structural issues that date back years, if not decades, and were either ignored or poorly addressed, is astounding.

We're talking about multi-family homes who's foundation shifted, so the landlords decided that shoving a couple stacked 2x4s between it and the bottom of the house was good enough.

There's already reports that residents had complained about huge cracks forming in the collapsed building in Florida. My guess is that the owner said "it's not worth my money investigating".

[cubby]

100% there's a guy on imgur that posts images from inspections he does on residential building (in California I think? Nevada? Some dry deserty place) and the amount of buildings that have structural issues that date back years, if not decades, and were either ignored or poorly addressed, is astounding.

We're talking about multi-family homes who's foundation shifted, so the landlords decided that shoving a couple stacked 2x4s between it and the bottom of the house was good enough.

There's already reports that residents had complained about huge cracks forming in the collapsed building in Florida. My guess is that the owner said "it's not worth my money investigating".

But none that have collapsed like this - that's what I'm asking. I can't recall in my living memory an occupied building just collapsing with no warning.

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Kind of a strange discussion to be having on an international message board. I mean we should discuss every fire that happens because a gas line wasn't checked or a water pipe that dripped into an electrical box. Poor maintaince happens pretty much across the world all the time, and although rare (I mean has it happen to you and everyone you know all the time?), it does lead to the destruction of property and loss of lives. Unfortunate, but kind of just the reality of the situation we call life.

Building don't just randomly collapse in the United States. This is unusual. I'm not talking about cracks in buildings or bridges that are poorly built, either. This incident is weird enough to merit it's own thread.

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And it gets worse.

At least 159 missing after partial building collapse near Miami.