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No, a Navy explosion did not cause the building in Surfside to collapse

2021-07-01T03:42:12.002Z


A theory that spreads on social networks suggests that the explosions caused to test an aircraft carrier could have affected the tragedy in Miami. But experts and the US Navy itself were in charge of debunking those rumors.


The collapse of a building in Surfside, north of Miami, is generating rumors and dubious theories about its causes.

One of the questions that several people ask on social networks is whether the explosions that the Navy caused near the coast of Florida, to test an aircraft carrier, could have caused the collapse of the condominium, where at least 12 people died and 149 are still missing. 

But experts say the

two events are unrelated

.

The size of the explosion and the distance from the place where it occurred do not give much, they point out. 

[Experts point to possible flaws that could have brought down the Miami building from the video of its collapse]

The US Navy tests occurred on June 18, nearly a week before the building in Surfside collapsed.

It was a 40,000-pound detonation of explosives near the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, to test the resistance of the military vessel in the event of a naval attack, according to reports.

The tests, known as Full Ship Shock Trials (FSST), were conducted in the Atlantic Ocean, about 250 miles north of Surfside, Florida.

The explosion had an impact similar to a low intensity earthquake: 3.9 on the Richter scale. 

Cracks and corroded rods - These photos show some damage to the Champlain Towers building

June 29, 202100: 49

The Navy "has employed extensive protocols throughout FSST to ensure the safety of military and civilian personnel involved in the evolution of the tests," says an official statement. 

Construction engineer Frederick Shaffer of engineering design firm Shaffer Group told local NBC channel in West Palm Beach that the explosion and shock wave likely had no impact on the building's collapse, as buildings in South Florida are built to withstand hurricanes and earthquakes.

["Can mine fall too?": Miami fears for its buildings after the collapse of Champlain Towers South]

"On that basis, a building designed to South Florida standards should survive an average California earthquake

," Shaffer said.

This Tuesday, Lieutenant Commander Desiree Frame, spokeswoman for the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford denied that there was a relationship between the explosion and the collapse of the building.

“We have not seen anything that correlates the crash test with the terrible event in South Florida.

Certainly, our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by that, ”Frame told Noticias Telemundo. 

Which part of the Surfside building collapsed first?

An expert explains how the collapse was

June 28, 202102: 02

The lieutenant explained that these types of crash tests are necessary to test the structural integrity of the hull of military vessels and are carried out following strict security measures.

“I can assure you that when we do these crash tests, there are a wide variety of environmental and safety factors that are taken into account ... when choosing the location, the depth of the water, the time of day, all of that. . there are many factors that go into making sure it is as safe as possible, "he explained.

Paul Earle, a seismologist with the US Geological Survey's National Earthquake Information Center, told the Miami Herald that he does not believe the Navy explosion and the building's collapse are related. 

[How can you survive a landslide?

This is how this woman explains how she kept calm under rubble after an earthquake]

“Given the size of the blast, the distance from the building, and the time between the blast and collapse, we don't see any reasonable mechanism for the Navy blast on June 18 to cause the condo to collapse in the Miami area. Beach on June 24, ”he said. 

"There are about 300 earthquakes of similar size to the Navy explosion throughout the United States each year, and none have caused a major building collapse,

" Earle added according to the Miami daily report. 

It is not clear what caused the collapse of part of the Champlain Towers in the early hours of Thursday, June 24, and it will likely be months before investigators can determine for sure. 

Calls from the first firefighters who arrived at the collapsed Surfside building come to light

June 28, 202102: 10

The testimonies of several experts collected by The New York Times newspaper show a certain consensus that the collapse originated at the base of the building and in the center of the two towers, which may indicate that the problem occurred in the foundations of the construction or near its foundation.

One possible theory is that the fault occurred in or below the underground parking lot, and could have caused a structural avalanche, also called a progressive collapse.

[A Surfside official ignored the alarming damage report]

An official from the Construction Department of the town of Surfside, in Florida, assured residents of the building in November 2018 that the condominium was "in very good condition", despite the fact that a month before the engineer Frank Morabito, warned in a report of "significant structural damage".

Engineer Andrés Tremante, professor at the Florida International University School of Engineering, told Noticias Telemundo that a "structural cancer" could have weakened the entire building. 

"I was hearing 'help, I can't breathe.'

What this man heard under the rubble at Surfside

June 28, 202102: 02

Morabito found alarming evidence of

"significant structural damage" to the concrete slab below the deck that supported the pool

, and "abundant" cracks and crumbling of the columns, beams and walls of the parking lot below the building.

Almost two and a half years after receiving the report, the Champlain Towers South board of owners had begun replacing the roof and was preparing to make structural repairs to the building, which collapsed the previous Thursday. 

The National Institute of Standards and Technology, a federal agency, has sent scientists and engineers to do a preliminary review, hoping to identify and preserve materials that could help understand the reasons for the collapse.

Various local, state, and federal agencies will participate in the investigation. 

Source: telemundo

All news articles on 2021-07-01

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