Preservation of evidence is vital to Surfside condo collapse probe: judge
At a hearing on Wednesday regarding the control over the investigation into the collapse of the condo complex in Surfside, Fla., a judge called the preservation of evidence a key factor in determining why the building collapsed and what rights he victims and their families have.
Later this month, Miami-Dade County will give up control of the Champlain Towers South site to a court-appointed receiver, attorney Michael Goldberg, according to ABC News.
Goldberg has already disclosed that discussions regarding access to the property and remains are ongoing.
“We are not going to be delaying this,” said Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Michael Hanzman at the hearing. “Everyone will have the opportunity to do the investigations they need. We don’t want to be in the position of being accused of spoiling evidence.”
Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett agreed with Hanzman, saying that building experts need access to the collapse site in order to prevent similar disasters from taking place.
“It has to be done a lot sooner than later. There are lives at stake,” Burkett said.
The hearing on Wednesday concerned the various lawsuits filed by the family members of victims, condo owners, mortgage owners, and others, all of which are seeking restitution for their losses.
Speaking to one survivor, Hanzman said that victims need to file a claim for their losses, and they will likely be consolidated into a massive class-action lawsuit. That lawsuit is expected to be filed in mid-August.
“There will likely not be enough to compensate everyone for what their claims may be,” Hanzman said. But he cautioned attorneys to make sure their cases are ironclad. “I’m not interested in ‘Hail Mary’ claims.”
A second hearing was scheduled for next Wednesday.
On June 24, the 12-story condominium unexpectedly collapsed, killing 98 people and leaving survivors homeless.
