Two Florida state lawmakers predicted that the multi-story building that collapsed in Surfside, Florida may lead to regulation changes at the state level.
The legislators, who represent coastal cities in the state, both said that they want to wait for the results of the investigation into the cause of the collapse that turned the condominiums into rubble.
“We need to let the experts advise us and let this be science and data-driven. But I’m not opposed at all to doing something at the state level if that’s what the experts tell us is best to prevent something like this happening again,” Representative Cord Byrd (R-Neptune Beach) said.
The 40 year old building was set to undergo a recertification process and various forms of inspection.
“There will be intense scrutiny. We still have to unfold exactly what happened. I think it’s too soon to make the call, too soon to tell,” added State Sen. Aaron Bean (R-Fernandina Beach).
Neither Byrd nor Bean speculated at the type or extent of regulations that may be imposed by the state legislature.
While new regulations may add further guidelines for officials, three years before the incident, an engineer issued a report after inspecting the building and cited “major structural damage.”
However, after receiving the report, the chief building official for the town of Surfside told condo owners and residents that the building was “in very good shape.”
Additionally, owners of condos within the building were facing an upcoming deadline for payments to begin over $9 million worth of repairs. Owners had until July 1 to pay totals ranging from $80,000 — $330,000, depending on the size of the condo owned.
Widespread search and rescue efforts have continued for any remaining survivors. The death toll has risen to 27 individuals — with over 100 more still unaccounted for.
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Cooper Moran is a reporter for the Star News Network. Follow Cooper on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Image “Surfise Cleanup” by the Town of Surfside.
