The unstable remains of the collapsed apartment block in Surfside, Florida were brought down late Sunday using a controlled explosion. The rest of the 12-story Champlain Towers South outside Miami was demolished shortly after 10:30 pm local time (8 am IST).
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At least 24 people have been killed and 121 are missing after a portion of the tower collapsed on June 24. Authorities said that the unstable remaining structure was a threat to search and rescue teams still at the scene. Hopes of finding anyone alive are fading.
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Another reason why authorities decided to bring down the rest of the structure is Tropical Storm Elsa, which is hurtling northward through the Caribbean and is expected to make landfall on Tuesday.
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An investigation is still underway to ascertain the reason why the 12-story condominium built in 1981 partially collapsed. Media reports said that an engineering firm, which reviewed the tower three years before the collapse in 2018, had reported that failed waterproofing below the building's pool was causing major structural damage.
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