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Surfside condo collapse: Biden to visit Florida as search for survivors continues

By Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Biden to visit Florida as search for survivors of Surfside condo collapse continues People embrace at a make-shift memorial outside St. Joseph Catholic Church, in Surfside, Fla., Monday, June 28, 2021, near the collapsed building for people still missing or dead. Many people were still unaccounted for after Thursday's fatal collapse. (Gerald Herbert/AP Photo)

By Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden plan to visit Surfside on Thursday as crews continue searching for survivors in the debris left by the collapse last week of the Champlain Towers South condo building, White House officials announced Tuesday.

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Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said the president will meet with families affected by the building collapse and with first responders.

“This is so critical that we do have our federal support,” Cava said Tuesday at a news conference. “So, we are very grateful for that, and we know that his support will continue throughout.”

The president approved a federal emergency declaration Friday in Florida, one day after officials said that 55 of the 136 units at the Champlain Towers South building collapsed. Officials said Monday that 11 people have died, and 150 others remained unaccounted for as search efforts continued.

>> Related: Surfside condo collapse: Police ID 3 more victims; official death toll remains 11

Authorities have identified the deceased as: Antonio Lozano, 83; Leon Oliwkowicz, 80; Gladys Lozano, 79; Christina Beatriz Elvira, 74; Frank Kleiman, 55; Stacie Dawn Fang, 54; Manuel LaFont, 54; Marcus Joseph Guara, 52; Michael Davis, 50; Anna Ortiz, 46; and Luis Bermudez, 26.

Surveillance video obtained by WSVN showed the collapse, which happened around 1:50 a.m. on Thursday.

Search crews continue to scour the rubble for signs of survivors. Rescuers are using bucket brigades and heavy machinery as they work atop a precarious mound of pulverized concrete, twisted steel and the remnants of dozens of households. The efforts include firefighters, sniffer dogs and search experts using radar and sonar devices.

Authorities stressed Monday that officials remained in the search-and-rescue phase of operations.

>> Related: Surfside Condo collapse: Had the building been sinking into the sand?

“We’re going to continue and work ceaselessly to exhaust every possible option in our search,” Cava said at a news conference. “Right now, our top priority is (to) search, and rescue, and find people.”

On Tuesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis emphasized that authorities would be searching the wreckage and investigating what happened Thursday for “the long-haul.”

“Those first responders are breaking their back(s) trying to find anybody they can, and they are going to continue to do that,” he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

©2021 Cox Media Group

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