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2018 report by Maryland engineering firm highlights past issues with collapsed Surfside condos

Surfside
Posted at 12:39 PM, Jun 28, 2021
and last updated 2021-06-28 13:32:11-04

BALTIMORE — An October 2018 structural field survey report issued by a Maryland-based engineering firm sheds light on past issues raised at a condominium complex that collapsed last week in Surfside, Florida that killed at least 10 people.

Morabito Consultants, which has an office in Sparks, noted several instances of cracked tile on balconies at the Champlain Towers South Condominium Building.

READ MORE: Death toll from Surfside condo collapse up to 10, 151 people still missing

The cracks indicated structural damage to the balcony slabs requiring repair.

According to the report, the cracks can be caused by water infiltration which results in sub-surface deterioration to the exterior soffits under the railings.

The building's stucco exterior facade was found to have sustained significant cracking as well.

Mold and deteriorated plywood was also discovered in certain soffits throughout the complex, potentially affecting its support framing.

The report was highly critical of the design and water proofing to the entrance drive and pool deck areas of the building.

"The failed waterproofing is causing major structural damage to the concrete structural slab below these areas. Failure to replace the waterproofing in the near future will cause the extent of the concrete deterioration to expand exponentially," the report claims. "This is a major error in the original development of the contract documents."

Finally, the report pointed out damage to concrete columns, beams and walls in the building's parking garage.

“Most of the concrete deterioration needs to be repaired in a timely fashion,” the report says.

Previous make-shift repairs to the garage were failing, the report states.

The repairs that were recommended would have been “extremely expensive” and “cause a major disturbance to the occupants of this condominium building.”

It's unclear if any of the findings by Morabito Consultants contributed to the building's collapse.

Read the full report below.