On July 4, 2021, the rest of the Champlain Towers South condo building in Surfside, Florida, was demolished in a controlled explosion. AFP
On July 4, 2021, the rest of the Champlain Towers South condo building in Surfside, Florida, was demolished in a controlled explosion. AFP
Search and rescue teams look for survivors. AFP
Search and rescue teams look for survivors. AFP
Search and rescue personnel work on site after the partial collapse of the building. AFP
Search and rescue personnel work on site after the partial collapse of the building. AFP
The disaster killed 98 people last June. AFP
The disaster killed 98 people last June. AFP
Rescue workers look for survivors at the collapsed condo building. AFP
Rescue workers look for survivors at the collapsed condo building. AFP
Survivors and families of victims have reached a settlement of at least $997 million. AFP
Survivors and families of victims have reached a settlement of at least $997 million. AFP
(FILES) In this file photo taken on June 24, 2021 an aerial view, shows search and rescue personnel working on site after the partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside, north of Miami Beach. - Survivors and families of people who died in last year's collapse of a beachfront condo building near Miami have reached a settlement of at least $997 million, a lawyer for the plaintiffs said May 11, 2022. The disaster at the Champlain Towers South condo left 98 people dead last June. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP)
(FILES) In this file photo taken on June 24, 2021 an aerial view, shows search and rescue personnel working on site after the partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside, north of Miami Beach. - Survivors and families of people who died in last year's collapse of a beachfront condo building near Miami have reached a settlement of at least $997 million, a lawyer for the plaintiffs said May 11, 2022. The disaster at the Champlain Towers South condo left 98 people dead last June. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP)
Officials had deemed the building 'structurally unsound' during its 50-year recertification process. AP
Officials had deemed the building 'structurally unsound' during its 50-year recertification process. AP
A law enforcement boat patrols the ocean near the collapsed building. AP
A law enforcement boat patrols the ocean near the collapsed building. AP
Search and rescue teams look for survivors among the debris. Miami Herald / AP
Search and rescue teams look for survivors among the debris. Miami Herald / AP
Rescue workers use a tarp to remove recovered remains at the site of the collapsed building. AP
Rescue workers use a tarp to remove recovered remains at the site of the collapsed building. AP
Leo Souto adds flowers to a memorial featuring photos of some of the victims. AFP
Leo Souto adds flowers to a memorial featuring photos of some of the victims. AFP
A woman prays in front of photos at the makeshift memorial for the victims of the building collapse. AFP
A woman prays in front of photos at the makeshift memorial for the victims of the building collapse. AFP
A rescuer visits the 'Surfside Wall of Hope & Memorial' near the collapsed building. AFP
A rescuer visits the 'Surfside Wall of Hope & Memorial' near the collapsed building. AFP
Liliana Abrill leaves flowers at a memorial near the site where the building once stood. AP
Liliana Abrill leaves flowers at a memorial near the site where the building once stood. AP
Wooden hearts with the names of the victims are erected at the memorial site. The Miami Herald / AP
Wooden hearts with the names of the victims are erected at the memorial site. The Miami Herald / AP

World

US

Victims of Florida condo collapse reach $997m settlement

Last year's Surfside condominium building collapse killed 98 people

AFP

May 12, 2022

  • English
  • Arabic

Survivors and families of people who died in last year's collapse of a beachfront condo building near Miami in the US state of Florida have reached a settlement close to $1 billion.

“The settlement right now is $997 million. There will be approximately another $100m that we will recover for the victims,” Carlos Silva, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said on Wednesday.

Part of Champlain Towers South, a 12-storey building built in 1981 in Surfside, a town north of Miami Beach, came tumbling down on June 24, 2021, as dozens of residents slept inside.

Except for a teenager rescued hours after the tower collapsed, search crews found no survivors and soon focused on recovering human remains.

A couple waits for news of their loved ones from a condominium that collapsed in Surfside, Florida. Marta Lavandier / AP Photo
A couple waits for news of their loved ones from a condominium that collapsed in Surfside, Florida. Marta Lavandier / AP Photo
An aerial view of the search and rescue personnel working on site after the partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside, north of Miami Beach. Chandan Khanna / AFP
An aerial view of the search and rescue personnel working on site after the partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside, north of Miami Beach. Chandan Khanna / AFP
View of a 12-story condominium building that partially collapsed in Surfside, Florida. Cristobal Herrera-Ulashkevich / EPA
View of a 12-story condominium building that partially collapsed in Surfside, Florida. Cristobal Herrera-Ulashkevich / EPA
This aerial shot shows search and rescue personnel working on site after the partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside, north of Miami Beach. Chandan Khanna / AFP
This aerial shot shows search and rescue personnel working on site after the partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside, north of Miami Beach. Chandan Khanna / AFP
A Miami-Dade Fire Rescue team sprays water onto the rubble as rescue efforts continue where a wing of a 12-story beachfront condo building collapsed, late on Thursday, June 24, 2021, in Miami. Gerald Herbert / AP Photo
A Miami-Dade Fire Rescue team sprays water onto the rubble as rescue efforts continue where a wing of a 12-story beachfront condo building collapsed, late on Thursday, June 24, 2021, in Miami. Gerald Herbert / AP Photo
Lightning strikes above the Champlain Towers South as Search and Rescue personnel work after the partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside, north of Miami Beach. Chandan Khanna / AFP
Lightning strikes above the Champlain Towers South as Search and Rescue personnel work after the partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside, north of Miami Beach. Chandan Khanna / AFP
Search and Rescue personnel hold a stretcher after recovering a body from the rubble after the partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside, north of Miami Beach, on June 24, 2021. Chandan Khanna / AFP
Search and Rescue personnel hold a stretcher after recovering a body from the rubble after the partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside, north of Miami Beach, on June 24, 2021. Chandan Khanna / AFP
A building that partially collapsed is seen in Surfside, near Miami Beach, Florida. Octavio Jones / Reuters
A building that partially collapsed is seen in Surfside, near Miami Beach, Florida. Octavio Jones / Reuters
Emergency crew members search for missing residents in a partially collapsed building in Surfside, near Miami Beach, Florida. Octavio Jones / Reuters
Emergency crew members search for missing residents in a partially collapsed building in Surfside, near Miami Beach, Florida. Octavio Jones / Reuters
Emergency crews respond to a partially collapsed residential building in Surfside, near Miami Beach Florida. Marco Bello / Reuters
Emergency crews respond to a partially collapsed residential building in Surfside, near Miami Beach Florida. Marco Bello / Reuters
A couple embrace as they wait for news of survivors from a condominium that collapsed in Surfside, Florida. Marta Lavandier / AP Photo
A couple embrace as they wait for news of survivors from a condominium that collapsed in Surfside, Florida. Marta Lavandier / AP Photo
A woman cries while waiting for news of survivors from a condominium that partially collapsed in Surfside, Florida. Marta Lavandier / AP Photo
A woman cries while waiting for news of survivors from a condominium that partially collapsed in Surfside, Florida. Marta Lavandier / AP Photo
This aerial view shows search and rescue personnel working on site after the partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside, north of Miami Beach. Chandan Khanna / AFP
This aerial view shows search and rescue personnel working on site after the partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside, north of Miami Beach. Chandan Khanna / AFP

A total of 98 people died in the collapse, with the last body identified nearly a month later.

A final report on the causes of the collapse has not yet been issued, although preliminary findings showed some of the building's structure appeared to be degraded.

The settlement, announced on Wednesday in a Miami-Dade County court, resolves a class-action lawsuit against several people and entities, including the developers of a building next to Champlain Towers South.

The suit claimed that vibrations from work on the adjacent site had contributed to the condo's collapse.

Harley Tropin, another of the plaintiffs' lawyers who presented the settlement agreement in court, praised it as bringing some degree of relief for survivors and the families of those who died.

“Although no amount of money will ever be enough to compensate them, we hope the closing of the legal chapter of this catastrophe will bring the victims some measure of solace,” Mr Tropin said.

The Florida judge handling the case, Michael Hanzman, had already approved an $83m settlement last March, but that only compensated the owners of condos in the building and not families of the deceased.

While you're here
Tamkeen's offering
  • Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
  • Option 2: 50% across three years
  • Option 3: 30% across five years 
RECORD%20BREAKER
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EYoungest%20debutant%20for%20Barcelona%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2015%20years%20and%20290%20days%20v%20Real%20Betis%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EYoungest%20La%20Liga%20starter%20in%20the%2021st%20century%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E16%20years%20and%2038%20days%20v%20Cadiz%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EYoungest%20player%20to%20register%20an%20assist%20in%20La%20Liga%20in%20the%2021st%20century%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E16%20years%20and%2045%20days%20v%20Villarreal%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EYoungest%20debutant%20for%20Spain%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2016%20years%20and%2057%20days%20v%20Georgia%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EYoungest%20goalscorer%20for%20Spain%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2016%20years%20and%2057%20days%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EYoungest%20player%20to%20score%20in%20a%20Euro%20qualifier%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2016%20years%20and%2057%20days%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency
Whiile you're here
On Women's Day
The specs

Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors

Power: Combined output 920hp

Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic

Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km

On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025

Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000

On Women's Day
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More coverage from the Future Forum
Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

Available: Now

Specs

Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

Available: Now

You might also like
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
On Women's Day
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere

Director: Scott Cooper

Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong

Rating: 4/5

While you're here
Silent Hill f

Publisher: Konami

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Rating: 4.5/5

%20Ramez%20Gab%20Min%20El%20Akher
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStreaming%20on%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMBC%20Shahid%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
more from sholto byrnes
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
McLaren GT specs

Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8

Transmission: seven-speed

Power: 620bhp

Torque: 630Nm

Price: Dh875,000

On sale: now

Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

While you're here
While you're here

Company profile

Name: Oulo.com

Founder: Kamal Nazha

Based: Dubai

Founded: 2020

Number of employees: 5

Sector: Technology

Funding: $450,000

Updated: May 12, 2022, 9:20 PM
US