Pool Deck Identified as Likely Cause of 2021 Surfside Condo Collapse

Federal investigators pinpoint pool deck failure as the initial event in the tragic collapse that claimed 98 lives, with a final report due in 2025.

Federal investigators have identified the pool deck as the likely initiation point of the 2021 Surfside condo collapse, which resulted in 98 fatalities.
Investigations reveal that the pool deck and supporting columns did not meet building code requirements at the time of construction in the 1970s.
Eyewitness reports and video evidence suggest the pool deck collapsed into the garage 4-7 minutes before the building, confirming structural failures.
Investigators are examining several failure hypotheses but have found strong evidence pointing to the pool deck's slab-column connections as the collapse's origin.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) aims to use the investigation's findings to recommend changes to building codes and prevent future tragedies.