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Yahoo
08-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Clearwater condo residents unable to return as crews stabilize cracked pillar
CLEARWATER, Fla. (WFLA) – Crews were at work Wednesday stabilizing and repairing a cracked pillar in a Clearwater Beach condo building. On Tuesday, residents were forced to evacuate from the South Beach III condominium building on Sand Key. Construction crews remained on scene the following day. Lawsuit filed against Jeff Knight in deadly Clearwater Ferry crash 'They shored up the first floor and the second floor, and then they still have to continue to shore up the entire 12-floor building,' said Clearwater Fire Division Chief Jevon Graham. 'There was a support column that was compromised.' The split prompted a massive response on Gulf Boulevard. Sixty people were forced to evacuate, and some residents were carried out on stretchers. Residents will not be able to return home until the project is complete. 'They had to do at least 18 struts and 18 shoring mechanisms for the first floor,' Graham said. 'As they go up again, they just make sure that it's stable and it disperses and supports the weight. They use steel struts and steel beams to make sure that the column isn't going to come down and that the floor and roof was under control and supported.' Officials said the crack was discovered amid the condo renovation project to the garage floor. It's one of many renovations taking place over recent months. 'Of course it's scary,' said resident Bruno Polunic. 'It's always scary to see something like that; but thank God everything is OK. Nobody got hurt. Everybody is good.' Last year, an engineering firm conducted a milestone inspection for the Clearwater Key Association, South Beach III Condominium at 1460 Gulf Boulevard. The City of Clearwater released the following statement about the recent milestone inspection report conducted by Karins Engineering: 'Those documents were provided to their Community Association in August and September of 2024, and the city does not have record of receiving these required building milestone inspection reports by the Dec. 31, 2024, deadline. Per Florida Statute, buildings 30 years old before July 1, 2022, must have their initial inspection by Dec. 31, 2024, and meet all the statutory requirements in order to be in compliance.' On Wednesday, city officials received the phase 1 milestone inspection reports that were issued on August 8, 2024, and Sept. 26, 2024. The report states that the engineer did not observe conditions that would compromise the safety of the building for its intended use and occupancy. The city issued a permit to a general contractor for temporary shoring. Officials say there will be a threshold inspection to verify the work and to allow occupancy of the building. Additional work will be needed to complete more substantial repairs. According to officials, the Clearwater Building Official will not allow residents to return to the building until a structural engineer delivers a report with confirmation that the structure is stable and safe to occupy. Meanwhile, Aurora Donnelly is one of dozens who received evacuation orders. 'What goes through your head is Miami, right? So, I'm running down the stairs saying, 'Oh my gosh, I hope the building doesn't fall down,'' Donnelly said. Support columns in the back of the building were taped off. Leaders with the Clearwater Fire and Rescue Division said construction crews saw a crack in one of the beams, noticed the split was widening and called first responders. 'You have a support column that's displaced, so it's probably a couple feet wide, at least. It's still splitting, and again, it's one of the main supports for the structure,' Graham said. The 12-story, 140-unit condo building was constructed in 1980. According to the Clearwater permitting website, the structure was inspected last May. 'It's a very inconvenient thing, but they were able to evacuate the building in time, nobody got hurt and nobody will get hurt. I strongly believe the engineers, the fire department and police are doing the right things,' said resident David Zusman said. The Red Cross is assisting displaced residents. Graham said there isn't a clear timeline for repairs and that residents likely won't be able to return until structural engineers give the 'all clear.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Residents Forced to Evacuate Florida Building Over Structural Crack Almost 4 Years After Surfside Condo Collapse
Authorities in Clearwater, Fla. evacuated 60 people from a condo building after cracks in a pillar were spotted Further work to stabilize the building is expected to continue while residents wait to return The incident comes nearly four years after the Surfside condo collapse that killed 98 people About 60 people were evacuated from a Florida condo building as a precautionary measure after cracks were discovered in a pillar, authorities said. On Tuesday, May 6, Clearwater Police Department and Clearwater Fire and Rescue Department stated on social media that the evacuation took place at the South Beach Condos III in the Sand Key neighborhood. 'We're on scene along with [Clearwater Fire and Rescue] at South Beach Condos III at 1460 Gulf Blvd.,' the police posted on X. 'All of the residents have been evacuated as personnel evaluate the structure of the building after cracks were found in a pillar.' 'We're on scene of a condo building on Sand Key with potential structural issues,' the fire department also posted. 'Evacuations have been completed and the county's technical rescue team is evaluating the situation.' Related: 99 People Remain Missing After Fla. Condo Collapse That 'Felt Like an Earthquake': 'It's Bad' The PEOPLE App is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more! Construction workers renovating the building's bottom floor parking garage observed a crack in a concrete column on Tuesday, ABC affiliate WFTS reported, prompting police to respond about 3:55 p.m. local time. 'They deemed that the structure was unsafe and needed to be restabilized,' Jevon Graham, division chief of the Clearwater Fire and Rescue Department, said on Tuesday, per CBS affiliate WTSP. According to the outlet, first responders said the crack was at least 2 feet wide. 'It was getting bigger at this time,' Graham added. 'They feel it's getting stabilized but they still need to support the structure and secure it so it doesn't collapse or break down anymore.' In a news release shared with PEOPLE by the Clearwater Police Department, firefighters and police went door to door to evacuate 60 people from the 12-story building. At the time, they said, the building was 40% occupied. Related: At Least 11 People Dead — Several from the Same Family — After a 4-Story Residential Building Collapsed 'So I'm running down the stairs saying, 'Oh my gosh, I hope the building doesn't fall down,' " resident Aurora Donnelly told NBC affiliate WFLA, explaining that she immediately thought of the 2021 Surfside condo collapse. Per the police, there had been no structural collapse in Sand Key. Additionally, no injuries were reported during the evacuation, but officials said that no one would be allowed back inside until authorities declare it safe, per Fox affiliate WTVT. A representative from the Clearwater Police Department told PEOPLE on the early afternoon of Wednesday, May 7, that the residents still have not yet been able to return to the building. 'The scene was turned over to the private contractor and engineer around 9 p.m.,' according to Clearwater police's update from Tuesday. 'Clearwater firefighters and other members of the Pinellas County Technical Rescue team helped unload materials that those private construction workers will use to help stabilize the building. That work is expected to continue into Wednesday.' PEOPLE contacted the Clearwater Fire and Rescue Department for additional information on Wednesday. Related: Massive 7.7 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Thailand, Causing a 30-Story Building to Collapse as Seen in Terrifying Video Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The evacuation comes nearly four years after the deadly Champlain Towers South condo collapse in Surfside, Fla. on June 24, 2021, when 98 people died in. Two months before the tragedy, the president of the Champlain South Towers condo association warned residents that the deterioration of the building's concrete was "accelerating" — and needed to be dealt with quickly. As CNN reported in 2024, investigators found that the design and construction of some parts of the Champlain, which was built in the 1970s, didn't adhere to standard building code requirements back then. 'It becomes clear that the design and construction did not meet all the safety standards of its day,' Surfside Commissioner Marianne Meischeid told CNN at the time. In 2022, a nearly $1 billion settlement was reached for the families of victims and survivors of the Surfside condo collapse. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Residents Forced to Evacuate Florida Building Over Structural Crack Almost 4 Years After Surfside Condo Collapse
"I'm running down the stairs saying, 'Oh my gosh, I hope the building doesn't fall down,' " recalled one resident Authorities in Clearwater, Fla. evacuated 60 people from a condo building after cracks in a pillar were spotted Further work to stabilize the building is expected to continue while residents wait to return The incident comes nearly four years after the Surfside condo collapse that killed 98 people About 60 people were evacuated from a Florida condo building as a precautionary measure after cracks were discovered in a pillar, authorities said. On Tuesday, May 6, Clearwater Police Department and Clearwater Fire and Rescue Department stated on social media that the evacuation took place at the South Beach Condos III in the Sand Key neighborhood. 'We're on scene along with [Clearwater Fire and Rescue] at South Beach Condos III at 1460 Gulf Blvd.,' the police posted on X. 'All of the residents have been evacuated as personnel evaluate the structure of the building after cracks were found in a pillar.' ADVERTISEMENT 'We're on scene of a condo building on Sand Key with potential structural issues,' the fire department also posted. 'Evacuations have been completed and the county's technical rescue team is evaluating the situation.' Related: 99 People Remain Missing After Fla. Condo Collapse That 'Felt Like an Earthquake': 'It's Bad' The PEOPLE App is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more! Construction workers renovating the building's bottom floor parking garage observed a crack in a concrete column on Tuesday, ABC affiliate WFTS reported, prompting police to respond about 3:55 p.m. local time. 'They deemed that the structure was unsafe and needed to be restabilized,' Jevon Graham, division chief of the Clearwater Fire and Rescue Department, said on Tuesday, per CBS affiliate WTSP. ADVERTISEMENT According to the outlet, first responders said the crack was at least 2 feet wide. 'It was getting bigger at this time,' Graham added. 'They feel it's getting stabilized but they still need to support the structure and secure it so it doesn't collapse or break down anymore.' In a news release shared with PEOPLE by the Clearwater Police Department, firefighters and police went door to door to evacuate 60 people from the 12-story building. At the time, they said, the building was 40% occupied. Related: At Least 11 People Dead — Several from the Same Family — After a 4-Story Residential Building Collapsed 'So I'm running down the stairs saying, 'Oh my gosh, I hope the building doesn't fall down,' " resident Aurora Donnelly told NBC affiliate WFLA, explaining that she immediately thought of the 2021 Surfside condo collapse. Per the police, there had been no structural collapse in Sand Key. ADVERTISEMENT Additionally, no injuries were reported during the evacuation, but officials said that no one would be allowed back inside until authorities declare it safe, per Fox affiliate WTVT. A representative from the Clearwater Police Department told PEOPLE on the early afternoon of Wednesday, May 7, that the residents still have not yet been able to return to the building. 'The scene was turned over to the private contractor and engineer around 9 p.m.,' according to Clearwater police's update from Tuesday. 'Clearwater firefighters and other members of the Pinellas County Technical Rescue team helped unload materials that those private construction workers will use to help stabilize the building. That work is expected to continue into Wednesday.' PEOPLE contacted the Clearwater Fire and Rescue Department for additional information on Wednesday. Related: Massive 7.7 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Thailand, Causing a 30-Story Building to Collapse as Seen in Terrifying Video ADVERTISEMENT Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The evacuation comes nearly four years after the deadly Champlain Towers South condo collapse in Surfside, Fla. on June 24, 2021, when 98 people died in. Two months before the tragedy, the president of the Champlain South Towers condo association warned residents that the deterioration of the building's concrete was "accelerating" — and needed to be dealt with quickly. As CNN reported in 2024, investigators found that the design and construction of some parts of the Champlain, which was built in the 1970s, didn't adhere to standard building code requirements back then. 'It becomes clear that the design and construction did not meet all the safety standards of its day,' Surfside Commissioner Marianne Meischeid told CNN at the time. In 2022, a nearly $1 billion settlement was reached for the families of victims and survivors of the Surfside condo collapse. Read the original article on People
