# Champlain Towers South in Miami has caved in {2021-06-24} **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Tags:** breaking-news\ **Created:** [June 24, 2021, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/champlain-towers-south-in-miami-has-caved-in-2021-06-24/944931 "2021-06-24T09:42:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/champlain-towers-south-in-miami-has-caved-in-2021-06-24/944931/262 "2021-06-30T21:19:06Z")
I hate to be the one to say this but I think they should ensure the remaining structure is absolutely secure. they could end up dropping another sheet of concrete and triggering a 3rd event. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/champlain-towers-south-in-miami-has-caved-in-2021-06-24/944931/263 "2021-06-30T21:26:38Z")
I’ve been hearing reports all week about on-site structural engineers with experience in building collapses keeping an eye on the situation. No one wants the first responders squashed, but discussing such details doesn’t sell cornflakes for the big TV stations and such so they aren’t detailing what’s being done. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/champlain-towers-south-in-miami-has-caved-in-2021-06-24/944931/264 "2021-07-01T00:26:59Z")
I don’t think this has been posted yet but a woman awoke and ran from her condo to safety after seeing a crack propagate up a wall. Moments later, the building fell: > **[‘Something inside me said run’: Surfside survivor describes escaping as...](https://www.local10.com/news/local/2021/06/29/something-inside-me-said-run-surfside-survivor-describes-escaping-as-building-came-down/)** > > Iliana Monteagudo thought what she was hearing was possibly wind coming through her balcony sliding doors, and then she spotted a crack, snaking its way down the wall. It was linked to in the comments from this reddit thread, also good: [https://old.reddit.com/r/CatastrophicFailure/comments/ob1i06/incredible\_map\_of\_surfside\_fl\_collapse\_by\_nyt/](https://old.reddit.com/r/CatastrophicFailure/comments/ob1i06/incredible_map_of_surfside_fl_collapse_by_nyt/) ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/champlain-towers-south-in-miami-has-caved-in-2021-06-24/944931/265 "2021-07-01T00:38:02Z")
Not to make light of this - but when I see a crack open up in my wall, I’d say that’s something _outside_ of me telling me to run… Amazing that she ran down six floors and got out. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/champlain-towers-south-in-miami-has-caved-in-2021-06-24/944931/266 "2021-07-01T01:36:53Z")
[https://twitter.com/\_rosiesantana/status/1407970894924992512](https://twitter.com/_rosiesantana/status/1407970894924992512) One person has video, from I believe a seventh floor unit, of the collapse. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/champlain-towers-south-in-miami-has-caved-in-2021-06-24/944931/267 "2021-07-01T02:13:00Z")
Prices on that page have not changed. I get no one is thinking to update their listing right now but still… I think those $700,000 units are now worthless. Will insurance cover them for this? Who do you sue? If the building is condos you sue the owners which is like suing yourself. I live in a hi-rise and my insurance is “walls in”. Basically, I am insured for the things in my place but not the structure of the building. The building itself has insurance but I am not sure that would cover me in a collapse. (As an aside I am amazed at their relatively low association fees) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/champlain-towers-south-in-miami-has-caved-in-2021-06-24/944931/268 "2021-07-01T02:29:44Z")
I read an article that said that the condo owners were going to be assessed about $90,000 (for a one-bedroom unit) to $300,000 (for a four-bedroom penthouse) and one-bedroom units seemed to sell for around $600,000. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/champlain-towers-south-in-miami-has-caved-in-2021-06-24/944931/269 "2021-07-01T02:31:49Z")
Wow…so your place is demolished, you have nothing to sell and you have to write a $90,000+ check? Ooof… Maybe those association fees should have been higher and they actually should have fixed stuff. My building HOA is aggressive in keeping our building in good repair but it ain’t cheap. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/champlain-towers-south-in-miami-has-caved-in-2021-06-24/944931/270 "2021-07-01T02:33:10Z")
Well, no. That’s the assessment had the building remained standing and the $15 million renovations proceeded. I thought that was obvious. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/champlain-towers-south-in-miami-has-caved-in-2021-06-24/944931/271 "2021-07-01T02:34:25Z")
Why is that obvious? Someone has to pay for emergency services and cleanup. Who else will pay that? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/champlain-towers-south-in-miami-has-caved-in-2021-06-24/944931/272 "2021-07-01T02:35:34Z")
“Were going to be assessed”. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/champlain-towers-south-in-miami-has-caved-in-2021-06-24/944931/273 "2021-07-01T02:36:09Z")
“Were” could mean yesterday. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/champlain-towers-south-in-miami-has-caved-in-2021-06-24/944931/274 "2021-07-01T02:38:10Z")
I give up. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/champlain-towers-south-in-miami-has-caved-in-2021-06-24/944931/275 "2021-07-01T02:56:27Z")
I was going to pretty much say the same thing. You’re right! ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/champlain-towers-south-in-miami-has-caved-in-2021-06-24/944931/276 "2021-07-01T03:12:01Z")
[quote=“Whack-a-Mole, post:267, topic:944931, full:true”]Will insurance cover them for this? [/quote] That may depend on what the cause of the collapse is ultimately determined to be. Some causes may be covered by their policy, while others would not be. ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/champlain-towers-south-in-miami-has-caved-in-2021-06-24/944931/277 "2021-07-01T03:34:04Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Amazing that she ran down six floors and got out. The building actually collapsed while she was in the stairway. Instinctively, she ran to the elevators, which is in the section that didn’t collapse, but decided to to use the stairs next to the elevators instead. There was a different staircase right next to her apt that didn’t survive. Had she chosen it instead, she would not have made it. ---
**Author:** ![dummygladhands71](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c0e974/32.png) [@dummygladhands71](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dummygladhands71)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/champlain-towers-south-in-miami-has-caved-in-2021-06-24/944931/278 "2021-07-01T05:31:12Z")
OK, maybe I’m a really shitty person, but I get annoyed at requests to donate to the Champlain Towers fund. I don’t really understand what it’s for, and (yeah, I am a shit), but if you own a condo beachfront in Florida, I don’t actually think you need a donation from me. ---
**Author:** ![Esprise\_Me](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprise_me/32/2947_2.png) [@Esprise\_Me](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprise_Me)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/champlain-towers-south-in-miami-has-caved-in-2021-06-24/944931/279 "2021-07-01T05:48:28Z")
> **[Majority of Florida condo board quit in 2019 as squabbling residents dragged...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/majority-of-florida-condo-board-quit-in-2019-as-squabbling-residents-dragged-out-plans-for-repairs/2021/06/30/43592282-d98e-11eb-ae62-2d07d7df83bd_story.html)** > > The president of the board of the condominium building that collapsed last week resigned partly in frustration over what she saw as the sluggish response to an engineer’s report from the previous year. Four other members also resigned in a two-week... Well this is interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/champlain-towers-south-in-miami-has-caved-in-2021-06-24/944931/280 "2021-07-01T06:28:53Z")
> [@dummygladhands71](#): > > if you own a condo beachfront in Florida They _owned_ a beachfront condo in Florida. Now they own rubble. And the clothes on their backs. And there might be a renter or two among them. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/champlain-towers-south-in-miami-has-caved-in-2021-06-24/944931/281 "2021-07-01T09:32:24Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I think those $700,000 units are now worthless. Worthless? I expect some of them no longer exist… > [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Will insurance cover them for this? Who do you sue? If the building is condos you sue the owners which is like suing yourself. Insurance may or may not cover some things, depending on the how the policy is written. Life insurance for the deceased, certainly. Insurance of contents within the unit likely if there was such insurance. As for who you sue: everyone you can name. The condo board, contractors, the guys who did the assessment in 2018 that’s being named a lot, the city of Surfside (really, they’ve already been named as part of a lawsuit), everyone. In situations like this about throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks > [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > (As an aside I am amazed at their relatively low association fees) That might be an issue - if there had been higher fees maybe there would have been more money spent on fixing things over the year and the building wouldn’t be 2/3 rubble now. > [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Wow…so your place is demolished, you have nothing to sell and you have to write a $90,000+ check? No, no - they were GOING to have to write a check (or start payment on a loan, from what I understand. The check/first payment was going to be due “a few days” later than the building collapsed so actually little to no money has been collected. Not that it would matter to the dead. > [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Maybe those association fees should have been higher and they actually should have fixed stuff. > > My building HOA is aggressive in keeping our building in good repair but it ain’t cheap. ^ This. > [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Someone has to pay for emergency services and cleanup. Who else will pay that? “Emergency services” like the fire department are covered by taxes, they don’t charge you per emergency. As for clean up - I think part of formally declaring the site an emergency was so the government would pick up the tab. It’s not like they can leave the pile sitting there while companies submit bids. So the answer to who is paying for it… we are. Collectively. > [@mikecurtis](#): > > Instinctively, she ran to the elevators, which is in the section that didn’t collapse, but decided to to use the stairs next to the elevators instead. Didn’t the elevators collapse, too? I thought I heard survivors talking about an empty shaft or the elevators just being gone. > [@dummygladhands71](#): > > OK, maybe I’m a really shitty person, but I get annoyed at requests to donate to the Champlain Towers fund. I don’t really understand what it’s for, and (yeah, I am a shit), but if you own a condo beachfront in Florida, I don’t actually think you need a donation from me. Unless everything you owned was in the tower and you have lost everything - not everyone in a place like that is rolling in money. Some are. For others, almost all of their net worth is tied up in the condo they own. Some people harmed weren’t residents, they were visitors. Some of the units were being rented out by the owners, so the people inside aren’t necessarily rich. But I agree with your reluctance to donate to something where you aren’t sure where the money is going or what the purpose of the fund is. Those are good questions to ask. > [@Esprise\_Me](#): > > [https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/majority-of-florida-condo-board-quit-in-2019-as-squabbling-residents-dragged-out-plans-for-repairs/2021/06/30/43592282-d98e-11eb-ae62-2d07d7df83bd\_story.html](https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/majority-of-florida-condo-board-quit-in-2019-as-squabbling-residents-dragged-out-plans-for-repairs/2021/06/30/43592282-d98e-11eb-ae62-2d07d7df83bd_story.html) > > Well this is interesting. It would be if the article wasn’t paywalled so I could read it… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/champlain-towers-south-in-miami-has-caved-in-2021-06-24/944931.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/champlain-towers-south-in-miami-has-caved-in-2021-06-24/944931.md?page=15)