The deadly destruction of a Florida beachfront condominium actually started weeks before it collapsed into a pile of rubble in the middle of the night, killing 98 people in 2021, federal investigators found in a final report issued Monday.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology said in the report that two connections between garage columns and the pool deck started to fail around early June. The combination of a structure design that did not meet building codes and alterations made to it over its 40 years meant that the other parts of the pool deck weren’t strong enough to withstand the extra load, leading to the type of slow-motion collapse.
"When building structures are designed and built to required codes and standards, they have margins against failure, meaning they should be able to support much more load than they are expected to bear,” Judith Mitrani-Reiser, who co-led the investigation, said in a video accompanying the report. “In the case of Champlain Towers South, these margins against failure were too narrow from the start.”
The report underscores findings that have trickled in since the 12-story beachfront condominium's collapse, which showcase weeks of building distress and deeper-seated problems.
Most residents were asleep when the building in Surfside, Florida, a few miles north of Miami, collapsed into a huge pile of rubble at 1:22 a.m. on June 24, 2021. A Miami judge approved a more than $1 billion settlement for personal injury and wrongful death claims from the disaster.
Harley Tropin, who represented the families of victims and survivors in a class-action lawsuit, declined to comment on the new report.
The structure didn't meet the building codes in place at the time and the building's construction did not follow the design, including large planters being added on the pool deck, explained Mitrani-Reiser.
“In some locations, the design provided less than half of the code-required strength,” she said
Work done later around the pool, in which sand and pavers were added, further strained an “already structurally inadequate” system, she said.
Meanwhile, reinforcing steel in the pool deck and street-level parking slabs were corroded in some areas, according to NIST.
Photos taken by people at the building in the weeks before the collapse show a long crack in a planter wall on the pool deck as well as cracks in the corner where the planter wall met a planter box, according to the NIST report. Less than a day before the collapse, that planter detached from the pool deck.
About one week before the tower collapsed, water that had been leaking from a ceiling in the parking garage increased, according to NIST. A few hours before the destruction, one person interviewed by investigators described it as a “water faucet.”
People in the building described seeing the pool deck collapsing, “one bay at a time as if dominoes were falling in a sequential chain reaction,” said Mitrani-Reiser. Some said they felt a sudden wind in the lobby and others heard sounds like a “jet engine.”
The companies responsible for designing and building the original structure in the late 1970s are no longer in operation.
After the collapse, state legislators enacted a law in 2022 requiring condo associations to have sufficient reserves to cover major repairs. Some residents were caught off guard by hefty fees imposed to cover years of deferred maintenance expenses required to bring their buildings into compliance with the law’s standards. That led to another law providing condo associations and residents more flexibility in handling the costs.
Associated Press reporter Hannah Schoenbaum in Salt Lake City contributed to this report.
FILE - Search and rescue workers descend from the rubble pile at the Champlain Towers South condo building, July 2, 2021, in Surfside, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)
FILE - Coast Guard boats patrol in front of the partially collapsed Champlain Towers South condo building, July 1, 2021, in Surfside, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)
FILE - Furniture sits perched in the remains of apartments sheared in half in the still standing portion of the Champlain Towers South condo building, July 2, 2021, in Surfside, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)
Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland have taken their expected starring roles so far in the World Cup.
Cristiano Ronaldo is getting some unexpected criticism.
Portugal's 41-year-old star arrived in North America hoping to to make history by scoring in his sixth straight World Cup. He ended up frustrated after a forgettable opening performance in Portugal's surprising 1-1 draw against Congo, missing on a couple of good scoring chances in the second half.
Ronaldo and Portugal get a chance to get back on track against Uzbekistan Tuesday in Houston.
One of the pre-tournament favorites to win the World Cup, Portugal could use a win to keep pace in Group K following Colombia's opening win and Congo's tie in its first World Cup in 52 years.
“We are playing a World Cup so of course we have a lot of noise and tension, but it’s part of the game," Portugal coach Roberto Martinez said. "The focus is on the team and we want to show a positive attitude … to be ready for the match. We are very much focused. We are strong. The team is even more united than before.”
Colombia and Congo play in Guadalajara, Mexico, in Tuesday's late match, with England and Harry Kane facing Ghana. Panama also plays Croatia in a critical Group L match after both teams lost their openers.
— Portugal vs. Uzbekistan, 1 p.m. EDT in Houston (Fox/Telemundo/Peacock)
— England vs. Ghana, 4 p.m. EDT in Foxborough, Massachusetts (Fox/Telemundo/Peacock)
— Panama vs. Croatia, 7 p.m. EDT in Toronto (Fox/Telemundo/Peacock)
— Colombia vs. Congo, 10 p.m. EDT in Guadalajara, Mexico (FS1/Telemundo/Peacock)
Harry Kane scored two goals in England's opening 4-2 win over Croatia, giving him 10 in World Cup play to match Gary Lineker's English record. It also pushed Kane into a seven-way tie for seventh in tournament history.
Kane gets a chance to add to that total when England faces surprising Ghana in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Tuesday.
Should he score, Kane would move into a tie for sixth with Germany's Jürgen Klinsmann and Hungary's Sándor Kocsis. A win would send England to the knockout stage for the third straight World Cup.
Ghana is tied with England atop Group L following its opening 1-0 win over Panama on Brandon Thomas-Asante's goal in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time. Ghana is looking for its first trip to the knockout stage since reaching the quarterfinals in 2010.
England is unbeaten against African teams at the World Cup, with five wins and three draws.
Panama and Croatia will play a game in Toronto that neither can afford to lose.
With opening losses, the countries are at the bottom of Group L behind England and Ghana. A win keeps alive the hopes of reaching the knockout stage, while a loss all but ends those hopes.
Panama was in line for its first World Cup point against Ghana before Thomas-Asante's late goal broke a scoreless tie.
Croatia finished third in Qatar in 2022 and was runner-up to France four years earlier in Russia, but is in trouble after losing 4-2 to England in this year's opener.
Colombia can lock up its spot in the knockout stage against surprising Congo in Guadalajara.
It would be a big step after the Colombians didn't even get into the World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
Luis Diaz got Colombia off to a strong start in its opener, finishing with a goal and an assist in a 3-1 win over Uzbekistan.
The Colombians could face a difficult task against a disciplined Congo side that frustrated Portugal.
Keep an eye on Congo's Yoane Wissa. The Newcastle United forward scored Congo's first goal in two World Cup appearances with a header in stoppage time just before halftime against Portugal.
— Messi sets World Cup scoring record as defending champion Argentina advances to knockout stage
— Christian Pulisic returns to training with US after missing last World Cup match with injury
— Kylian Mbappé of France scores 2 goals to reach 16 in World Cup career, tying for 2nd most
— Erling Haaland scores 2 more goals and Norway beats Senegal 3-2 to reach World Cup round of 32
— World Cup concessions: $75 caviar-topped tots in Miami, a day’s pay worth of beer in Mexico City
— Germany defender Nico Schlotterbeck out for the rest of the World Cup with ankle injury
— World Cup goal frenzy: 121 goals in 40 games. Premier League players lead the way
— A win over Saudi Arabia would send Cape Verde to the round of 32 at the World Cup
— World Cup Day 12 photo gallery
Messi scored his 17th and 18th World Cup goals in a 2-0 over Austria, breaking the record of 16 set by Germany's Miroslav Klos. The Argentina star also set another, less-desirable record, missing his third career non-shootout penalty kick in the first half. That's one more than Ghana's Asamoah Gyan for such misses in the World Cup. Messi also has taken a record seven penalty kicks.
AP Sports Writers Kyle Hightower and Kristie Rieken contributed to this report.
AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
Congo's Yoane Wissa (20) lies on his back asPortugal's Nelson Semedo (2) tres to run around him during the World Cup Group K soccer match between Portugal and Congo in Houston, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
Argentina's Lionel Messi, center, scores the opening goal during the World Cup Group J soccer match between Argentina and Austria in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, Monday, June 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
England's Jude Bellingham (10) embraces Harry Kane after scoring their third goal during the World Cup Group L soccer match between England and Croatia in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during the World Cup Group K soccer match between Portugal and Congo in Houston, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
