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SURFSIDE, Fla. One stem at a time, Douglas Berdeaux carefully created a floral frame of red roses and yellow tulips on the chain-link fence surrounding the smiling portrait of Elaine Sabino, his missing sister-in-law.
Sabino, a JetBlue flight attendant who loved to travel and meet new people, remains unaccounted for since the Champlain Towers South condominium building unexpectedly collapsed before dawn June 24. She lived on the 12th floor.
“She was a very loving person. Very vivacious. She had a bigger-than-life personality,” said Daytona Beach resident Linda Howard, Sabino’s sister, as she struggled to fight back tears near the portrait. Her brother, John, stood at her side.
Florida condominium demolition opens up fresh rubble in collapse search Toggle share menu
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Florida condominium demolition opens up fresh rubble in collapse search
Rescue crews work at the site of the collapsed Champlain Towers South condo building after the remaining structure was demolished Sunday, in Surfside, Florida on Jul 5, 2021. (Photo: AP/Lynne Sladky)
06 Jul 2021 04:51AM (Updated:
06 Jul 2021 07:21AM) Share this content
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SURFSIDE, Florida: Rescuers searched through fresh rubble on Monday (Jul 5) after the last of the collapsed Florida condominium building was demolished, which allowed crews into previously inaccessible places, including bedrooms where people were believed to be sleeping at the time of the disaster, officials said.
THE remaining part of the partially collapsed Champlain Towers condo building falls with a controlled demolition. AFP
SURFSIDE: Rescuers searched for victims of a collapsed South Florida condo building through fresh rubble on Monday after crews set off a string of explosives that brought down the last of the structure and allowed search efforts to resume.
Three more victims were discovered in the newly accessible pile, Miami-Dade Assistant Fire Chief Raide Jadallah told family members, raising the death toll to 27 people. More than 115 people remain unaccounted for.
The demolition opened up a previously unreachable area for rescuers, though the chances of finding any survivors there waned, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said on NBCs Today.” We understand that families realize the fact that time has gone by, they realise that the chances are growing all dimmer, she said. They are with us, they know what we’ve been doing every step of the way.
Updated July 4, 2021 at 10:53 PM ET
SURFSIDE, Fla. Crews used explosives late Sunday night to demolish the remaining structure at Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Fla.
The heavily damaged condo building was knocked down at about 10:30 p.m. Eastern time.
The targeted blast caused the tower to fold and crumble, sending a large plume of dust and debris over a section of the beachside community. A crowd watching from a distance prayed as the building came down.
Before the structure was leveled, Miami-Dade County police urged residents who live nearby to remain indoors and shelter in place.
Miami-Dade County officials said removing the tower was an essential step so search and rescue teams could resume scouring the rubble pile for victims of the disaster.