China News Service, July 5, reported that on July 4, local time, the search and rescue work of the collapsed building in Miami, Florida, USA was still suspended.

Before tropical storm "Elsa" may affect the area, the staff are preparing for the demolition of the uncollapsed part of the building.

At present, the number of people killed in the accident has risen to 24, and 121 people are still missing.

The picture shows the collapse of an apartment building in Miami. Search and rescue are still going on.

Ruin search and rescue work suspended

The remaining buildings will be detonated before the storm hits

　　Miami-Dade County Magistrate Kava said on the 4th: "Our priority is to make the building (the part that has not collapsed) collapse as soon as possible, and whenever it happens, it must be as safe as possible" and destroy it in a controlled way. A building is essential to expand the scope of search and rescue work.

　　Demolition work may be carried out on the evening of the 4th or the early morning of the 5th local time.

　　She also said that once the building is detonated and the scene is declared safe, rescue work will resume.

At the same time, Kava pointed out that 11 days have passed since the collapse.

　　Officials said that in the wreckage of the collapsed Surfside Champlain Tanan complex, workers were drilling holes and placing small explosives on the pillars in order to contain the wreckage of the building to a small area.

　　Kava said that residents of nearby buildings do not need to evacuate, but should stay indoors due to dust generated by the explosion.

　　In addition, the arrival of tropical storms has increased the urgency of the plan.

As of the morning of the 4th local time, tropical storm "Elsa" was near the coast of Jamaica.

The storm is expected to pass through Cuba on the 5th and hit western Florida on the 6th or 7th.

The picture shows a satellite image after the collapse of a high-rise apartment in Miami-Dade County on June 25, 2021.

The cause of the collapse has not yet been identified

At least 6 firefighters diagnosed with new crown

　　According to reports, investigators have not yet determined the cause of the collapse of the building.

A previously published engineering report in 2018 showed that the building was found to have structural defects, which are now the focus of investigation including grand jury inspections.

　　Officials said that at the same time, on the 2nd, all residents in another building in North Miami Beach were told to leave immediately, and engineers found serious concrete and electrical problems in the building.

　　North Miami Beach City Manager Sole said that the evacuation was considered urgent due to the potential impact of tropical storm Elsa, adding that the owner of the building had not yet started the mandatory safety confirmation required after 40 years of construction process.

　　On the other hand, the director of the Miami-Dade County Fire Department, Kominsky, said on the 3rd that at least six of the firefighters who conducted search and rescue operations at the scene of the collapse of the Surfside apartment building had tested positive for the new crown.

　　Kominsky stated that members of the Florida Task Force outside of Miami-Dade reported positive test results.

The team then left the area, after which all the remaining 424 members of the Florida task force were tested for the new crown.

　　Kominsky said officials will "continue to monitor" the situation, "we have prepared medical procedures," and "unfortunately, this is another challenge, but we have been dealing with this issue for the past year. "