Community Chat

[Anonymous032819]

Yes, there are similarities to 9/11. 

They are working 24 hours a day hoping to find survivors.

They are working non-stop.

They are using ultra sensitive sound equipment, equipment that detects body heat, as well as dogs.

What concerns me is in the beginning they said that they heard banging. Now they are saying that they aren't hearing it.

[gardenman]

Just a note on the "sinking" issue. The article cited in post #50 here says the sinking was 2 millimeters a year. That's insignificant. A properly constructed modern building could handle that level of sinking with no issue over decades or centuries. That wouldn't cause it to collapse. The building is 40 years old and if it had been sinking 2 mms per year since it was built it would have sunk 80 mms. That's 8 cms or a total of 3.14 inches over forty years. That's insignificant in a modern structure. Especially one built in a hurricane-prone area where big storms are the norm. 

Something else went on here and my best guess would be a failure in the post-tensioned concrete. It's a building process that only came to the States in the mid-sixties from Europe. Corrosion is a big issue with post-tensioned concrete and corrosion is a big issue in coastal construction. I have a strong suspicion that the ultimate cause of the collapse will be the failure of the post-tensioned concrete. But, we'll see what they discover later in the process. There are other possibilities, but the rubble will reveal the truth.

[Cakers3]

My heart broke over the teen boy who was pulled alive from the rubble who had been crying out "Don't leave me!".  His mom died in the rubble.

The dust, the falling debris experienced by the workers-they have so much to deal with.

The knocking/tapping coming from the rubble is becoming silent.

[Anonymous032819]

I haven't heard of they have found any more survivors or not, but I don't think that they have.

That makes me sad.

With every hour that passes, and they don't find someone alive, the likelihood that they will, diminishes.

Yes, I know that they found a girl alive in Haiti, 8 days later when they had a major collapse, but that's more of the exception and not the rule.

I'm not saying to give up hope, no, not at all. But just being realistic, and the odds are not in favor of finding more people alive. Although, there is always a chance that they will. 

[kivah]

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@decaf wrote:

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@viva923 wrote:

Just read a news update a few minutes ago,

this building had been sinking into the earth 2MM a month for several years.

the buildings were built on reclaimed wetlands. 

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@viva923  I'd like to know, do you recall who said this please.

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I read that the engineers said this building has been sinking for 3 decades.

[lovesrecess]

The entire area where the condos are is a barrier island. They can’t go down very far or you hit water. It is amazing they don’t have more problems with shifting. Apparently all buildings shift or settle over the years, but buildings are engineered and constructed to accommodate this. I just read a harrowing account of a man and his family who narrowly escaped the building before it fell….he said they opened the door in their 6th floor condo and looked to the left and there was nothing but outdoors. The elevators were just two holes in the wall. Surreal. Now they are saying the other tower of the building could also fall. I would want to be as far away as I could get.
The news just said they had found some human remains in the rubble, but they did not elaborate. So heartbreaking. I pray for peace and courage for family members and friends. The firefighters are having such a dangerous time even searching due to how unstable the area is...and now must wear breathing gear so they don't inhale so much smoke. Please pray for them as well.

[Firefly901]

Not knowing what caused this, they now need to be proactive.  The building that is similar to the collapsed one should be immediately evacuated.  Independent engineering teams (completely separate from what is going on at the collapse site) should be immediately dispatched to that building and to buildings around and near the collapse site.  The impact of this collapse might have had an impact on neighboring buildings. The smell of decaying bodies will soon envelope the area, and many others will want to vacate the island as well.

[lovesrecess]

I think the other part of the building has been evacuated. A structural engineering expert was being asked by those residents if the second part of the building was safe, and he said he couldn’t give them an answer. That sounds like an answer to me.

[Firefly901]

There is another building down the street just like the one that collapsed.  I was referring to that completely different building.  According to reports, it has the same plan, architecture, engineering, building contractors, subcontractors, built the same time, etc. as the one that collapsed.  Yes, they vacated the section of the collapsed building that did not fall, but I am talking about a completely different building.

[bonnie f]

so sad.. makes you really wonder though when you stay in places like that... a few times i was away and stayed at hotels etc that were on the 10th floor or even higher. after seeing something like this it makes you worry anout all other places and how safe they really are.. very sad.