Almost every expert and industry representative who testified before our grand jury said that they thought 40 years was simply too long to wait for a safety inspection to determine what it is, the report said. structural, electrical and life safety of the buildings and inhabitants of our community,” said.
In its report, the grand jury pointed out that months later, “we still do not know the cause of the collapse,” noting that the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) continues to investigate. check.
The grand jury was not tasked with finding out why the building partially collapsed. It focuses on “multiparticipatory policies, procedures, protocols, systems, and practices that ensure that buildings in our communities are designed and built in a way that is safe, to occupants of such buildings perform timely and appropriate maintenance of their buildings so that they remain safe and habitable, and officers and officials exercise appropriate supervision to ensure all of the above.”
“Unfortunately, for Champlain Towers South, there have been setbacks at every level and for all participants,” the report said.
In a news release related to the report, Rundle said there were four “very serious lessons learned” from the crash.
First, the state regulation of apartment buildings “needs to be seriously revised.” Second, state and local governments need to focus on preventing dangerous structural deterioration. Next, state condominium boards must recognize their responsibility to preserve the lives of their buildings and occupants. And fourth, the state department that oversees apartment associations should be “seriously restructured so that it can finally play a seriously constructive role in overseeing condominium governance,” the statement said. the announcement said.
The grand jury report also notes that the Miami Department of Construction’s Unsafe Structures Division, where buildings that failed re-inspection or were deemed unsafe were introduced, had employees poor member. Last year, the report said, the department had one inspector, one department head and four administrative staff. The report said “it was “badly not enough”.
The report calls for more money, staff and inspectors to identify dangerous buildings. The grand jury also recommended raising standards for inspectors.
In addition, it recommends imposing a “reporting obligation” on engineers conducting tests.
“If an engineer or architect conducting a building inspection determines that the building or structure is unsafe for continued habitation, (whether structural integrity, electrical problems, safety fire or any other life safety concern) the engineer or architect must notify the Official Local Building within 24 hours of such discovery,” the team suggested. .
The grand jury also said condo boards should be required to post maintenance documents and inspection reports online. The report adds, anyone elected to these councils must undergo courses on the importance of maintenance, effective money management of the apartments and resources to help them do so. Work.
Calling the October 2018 inspection at Champlain Towers, the grand jury said, “There was enough information, provided early enough for people to notice a major problem. However, sadly not Who among the participants acted fast enough to prevent this tragedy.”
