Investigators Reveal Gradual Collapse Preceded Florida Condo Tragedy
WHO:
ABC News - Judith Mitrani-Reiser co-led the investigation by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
ABC News - Harley Tropin represented the families of victims and survivors in a class-action lawsuit.
WHAT:
ABC News - The report states that the structure's design did not meet building codes and alterations made over its 40 years contributed to its vulnerability, with some locations providing less than half of the code-required strength.
ABC News - The report highlights that reinforcing steel in the pool deck and street-level parking slabs were corroded in some areas.
ABC News - A person interviewed by investigators noted that three weeks before the collapse, part of a gate near the planter wall had dipped slightly, causing it to jam.
ABC News - Photos taken before the collapse show a long crack in a planter wall on the pool deck, and cracks in the corner where the planter wall met a planter box.
ABC News - Less than a day before the collapse, a planter detached from the pool deck.
ABC News - About one week before the tower collapsed, water leaking from a ceiling in the parking garage increased significantly.
ABC News - Witnesses described the pool deck collapsing "one bay at a time as if dominoes were falling in a sequential chain reaction."
ABC News - A strong concrete wall helped to contain the destruction from completely spreading to a third section of the building.
ABC News - The collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium killed 98 people.
ABC News - Federal investigators concluded that the collapse began three weeks prior to the event, specifically in early June 2021.
ABC News - The report indicated that two connections between garage columns and the pool deck failed, leading to cracks and redistribution of loads over three weeks.
ABC News - A Miami judge approved a settlement exceeding $1 billion for personal injury and wrongful death claims related to the disaster.
ABC News - The pool deck construction deviated from design requirements, with inadequate slab reinforcing bars over vertical columns.
ABC News - The report indicates that the structure's design did not meet building codes and alterations made over its 40 years contributed to its vulnerability.
ABC News - The report states that the pool deck construction deviated from design requirements, with some locations providing less than half of the code-required strength.
ABC News - The report highlights that reinforcing steel in the pool deck and street-level parking slabs were corroded in some areas.
ABC News - A person interviewed by investigators noted that three weeks before the collapse, part of a gate near the planter wall had dipped slightly, causing it to jam.
ABC News - The report indicates that the pool deck construction deviated from design requirements, with some locations providing less than half of the code-required strength.
ABC News - Photos taken before the collapse show a long crack in a planter wall on the pool deck, and cracks in the corner where the planter wall met a planter box.
ABC News - Less than a day before the collapse, a planter detached from the pool deck.
ABC News - About one week before the tower collapsed, water leaking from a ceiling in the parking garage increased significantly.
ABC News - Witnesses described the pool deck collapsing "one bay at a time as if dominoes were falling in a sequential chain reaction."
ABC News - A strong concrete wall helped to contain the destruction from completely spreading to a third section of the building.
ABC News - The collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium killed 98 people.
ABC News - Federal investigators concluded that the collapse began three weeks prior to the event, specifically in early June 2021.
ABC News - The report indicated that two connections between garage columns and the pool deck failed, leading to cracks and redistribution of loads over three weeks.
ABC News - A Miami judge approved a settlement exceeding $1 billion for personal injury and wrongful death claims related to the disaster.
ABC News - The pool deck construction deviated from design requirements, with inadequate slab reinforcing bars over vertical columns.
WHERE:
ABC News - The incident occurred in Surfside, Florida, a few miles north of Miami.
WHEN:
ABC News - The report was released almost five years after the building's partial collapse.
ABC News - Investigators announced findings in September 2023.
ABC News - The collapse occurred at 1:22 a.m. on June 24, 2021.
ABC News - The report was released almost five years after the building's partial collapse.
ABC News - Investigators announced findings in September 2023.
WHY:
ABC News - The report states that the structure's design did not meet building codes and alterations made over its 40 years contributed to its vulnerability, with some locations providing less than half of the code-required strength.
ABC News - Work done later around the pool, including the addition of heavy planters, sand, and pavers, further strained an already structurally inadequate system.
ABC News - The report explains that work done later around the pool, including the addition of heavy planters, sand, and pavers, further strained an already structurally inadequate system.
ABC News - Long-term degradation from corrosion and additional weight from planters, sand, and pavers further diminished the structure's integrity.
ABC News - The structure did not meet building codes and had undergone alterations over its 40 years, leading to inadequate strength to support loads.
ABC News - Long-term degradation from corrosion and additional weight from planters, sand, and pavers further diminished the structure's integrity.
ABC News - The report states that the structure's design did not meet building codes and alterations made over its 40 years contributed to its vulnerability, with some locations providing less than half of the code-required strength.
ABC News - Work done later around the pool, including the addition of heavy planters, sand, and pavers, further strained an already structurally inadequate system.
ABC News - The report explains that work done later around the pool, including the addition of heavy planters, sand, and pavers, further strained an already structurally inadequate system.
ABC News - Long-term degradation from corrosion and additional weight from planters, sand, and pavers further diminished the structure's integrity.
ABC News - The structure did not meet building codes and had undergone alterations over its 40 years, leading to inadequate strength to support loads.
ABC News - Long-term degradation from corrosion and additional weight from planters, sand, and pavers further diminished the structure's integrity.
HOW:
ABC News - A strong concrete wall helped to contain the destruction from completely spreading to a third section of the building during the collapse.
ABC News - The pool deck began to collapse minutes before two parts of the tower fell, with a strong concrete wall helping to contain the destruction from spreading to a third section of the building.
ABC News - Investigators noted that the initial column failures caused cracks to grow and loads to redistribute in the pool deck over the following weeks.
ABC News - Investigators noted that the initial column failures caused cracks to grow and loads to redistribute in the pool deck over the following weeks.
ABC News - Photos taken before the collapse showed significant cracks in the planter wall and other areas of the pool deck.
ABC News - A strong concrete wall helped to contain the destruction from completely spreading to a third section of the building during the collapse.
ABC News - The pool deck began to collapse minutes before two parts of the tower fell, with a strong concrete wall helping to contain the destruction from spreading to a third section of the building.
ABC News - Investigators noted that the initial column failures caused cracks to grow and loads to redistribute in the pool deck over the following weeks.
ABC News - Investigators noted that the initial column failures caused cracks to grow and loads to redistribute in the pool deck over the following weeks.
ABC News - Photos taken before the collapse showed significant cracks in the planter wall and other areas of the pool deck.
(UPDATED June 23, 2026 17:36 UTC)
A recent report has revealed that the Champlain Towers South condominium's design failed to meet building codes, with alterations made over its 40 years contributing to its vulnerability, including corroded reinforcing steel and inadequate slab support. Investigators found that the collapse began three weeks prior to the disaster, with signs of structural issues such as cracks in the pool deck and increased water leakage in the parking garage leading up to the event. In a significant legal development, a Miami judge has approved a settlement exceeding $1 billion for personal injury and wrongful death claims related to the tragedy that claimed 98 lives.
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(UPDATED June 23, 2026 15:54 UTC)
A recent report reveals that a building's design failed to meet essential building codes, with some areas providing less than half of the required strength, which was exacerbated by alterations made over its 40-year lifespan. Additionally, modifications around the pool, such as the addition of heavy planters, sand, and pavers, further compromised the already inadequate structure. Fortunately, a strong concrete wall managed to contain the destruction, preventing it from spreading to a third section of the building during the collapse.
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(UPDATED June 23, 2026 11:56 UTC)
A recent report reveals that the structure's design failed to meet building codes, with alterations made over its 40 years increasing its vulnerability, particularly in the pool deck construction, which did not meet required strength standards in some areas. Investigators found that reinforcing steel in the pool deck and parking slabs was corroded, and just three weeks before the collapse, a gate near the planter wall had begun to dip and jam. The pool deck started to collapse just minutes before two sections of the tower fell, although a strong concrete wall helped contain the destruction from affecting a third section of the building.
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(UPDATED June 23, 2026 08:10 UTC)
A recent report reveals that the pool deck construction did not meet design requirements, with some areas showing less than half of the necessary strength. Just before the collapse, a planter detached from the deck, and witnesses described the event as a sequential chain reaction, with the deck collapsing "one bay at a time." Investigators found that long-term corrosion and additional weight from planters contributed to the structure's degradation, leading to initial column failures that caused cracks to grow and loads to redistribute.
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(UPDATED June 23, 2026 04:21 UTC)
A recent report from the National Institute of Standards and Technology revealed that the tragic collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside, Florida, which resulted in the deaths of 98 people, was due to structural failures that began weeks prior to the incident. Investigators found that inadequate construction and long-term degradation, including corrosion and excess weight, compromised the building's integrity, while a Miami judge has approved a settlement exceeding $1 billion for victims and their families. Judith Mitrani-Reiser co-led the investigation, and Harley Tropin represented the families in a class-action lawsuit, highlighting the serious issues surrounding building safety and accountability.