Death Toll Reaches 9 In Florida Condo Collapse, 156 People Missing

The death toll from the building collapse in Surfside, Florida, has risen to nine, and 156 people remain missing, officials confirmed Sunday.

Rescue and recovery efforts continue amidst the rubble of Champlain Towers South. Four new bodies were found along with “additional human remains," Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said in a news conference on Sunday morning.

“We are making every effort to identify those others that have been recovered,” Levine Cava said.

Officials released the names of three more victims Saturday evening: Anthony Lozano, 83, and Gladys Lozano, 79, who lived in apartment 903; and Manuel LaFont, 54, who was in apartment 801, the Miami Herald reported. Police identified 54-year-old Stacie Fang, who lived in apartment 1002, on Friday.

Levine Cava said on Sunday that officials are having “very frank conversations” with the families at the reunification center about the possibility of finding no more survivors.

“The firefighters and others who’ve briefed them are very direct about the situation, that we are continuing to search. We do continue to hope that we find people, but certainly they’re aware that we’re finding remains and even that we’re finding body parts so they’re preparing for that,” Levine Cava told the Miami Herald.

She said families have very detailed questions about where exactly teams are searching in the pile since most of them know the location of their loved ones’ apartments.

SURFSIDE, FLORIDA - JUNE 26: Members of the South Florida Urban Search and Rescue team look for possible survivors in the partially collapsed 12-story Champlain Towers South condo building on June 26, 2021 in Surfside, Florida. Over 150 people are being reported as missing as search-and-rescue efforts continue with rescue crews from across Miami-Dade and Broward counties. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

“What can I say? It’s a terrible, terrible situation, one in which they’re coming through it with our support,” she added, per the Herald.

The cause of the deadly, middle-of-the-night collapse of the 12-story condominium near Miami Beach is a mystery that could take months, if not years, of forensic investigation to solve.

SURFSIDE, FLORIDA - JUNE 25: Search and rescue operations continue at the site of the partially collapsed 12-story Champlain Towers South condo building on June 25, 2021 in Surfside, Florida. Over one hundred people are being reported as missing as search-and-rescue effort continues with rescue crews from across Miami-Dade and Broward counties. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

The Miami Herald interviewed six engineering experts on Saturday, and they said that based on the publicly available evidence — including building plans, recent inspection reports, photos of debris, an eyewitness, and a surveillance video of the collapse — a structural column or concrete slab beneath the pool deck likely gave way first, causing the deck to collapse into the garage below, forming a crater beneath the bulky midsection of the tower, which then caved in on itself.

The most probable collapse sequence, according to experts, can be seen here.

The Herald reports that Greg Batista, a professional engineer who specializes in concrete repair and worked on the Surfside condo’s pool deck in 2017, said that the way the building fell points to an initial collapse in the pool deck area.

Structural engineer and retired building inspector Gene Santiago said he agreed that it was a probable trigger and pointed to a 2018 inspection that noted “major structural damage” below the pool deck.

Miami Heat player Tyler Herro and assistant coach Chris Quinn arrived to help offload water bottles and snacks out of a truck, and the Miami Herald reported the team called the police PIO to offer assistance.

The Miami Marlins sent vans with meals and water to rescue workers and other essential items and toiletries to residents impacted by the building collapse. The team's food relief program partner, Seed Miami Food Truck, gave out meals to families and first responders in Surfside.

The Miami Dolphins posted a statement on its social media.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families as they deal with this sudden and tragic loss," the team said. "We also appreciate our first responders and volunteers that have worked tirelessly today to lead rescue and relief efforts."

Inter Miami CF and the Florida Panthers posted statements to their social media, as well.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency after the collapse, and President Biden also said the federal government and FEMA were prepared to provide further assistance once DeSantis formally declared the emergency, Fox News reports.

The crowdfunding website GoFundMe has set up a centralized hub for users to find verified fundraisers connected with the deadly apartment building collapse outside Miami.

Check back with OutKick for updates.