Click here for PDF version of this release.

Miami – (July 15, 2021)

Statement from State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle Regarding Champlain South Tower Access Issues

“Engineers from the federal agency National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) were deployed to Surfside with Congressional authority to gather evidence and determine how and why the Champlain South Tower collapsed.

NIST is the fact-finding agency responsible for investigating building collapses such as the World Trade Center, much like the NTSB investigates plane crashes.

To date, there have been multiple requests by engineers and attorneys to gain access to this site due to their understandable desire to move their civil court actions forward. However, we cannot forget that the scene and all the related materials are still under active investigation, preservation and examination, and as usual, law enforcement is in charge of the scene.

It is my understanding that once NIST, the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and Miami-Dade Police Departments determine that it is safe and appropriate for others to gain access to the site, they will be permitted to do so under guidelines set forth by those agencies.”

                                                                                          ###

For more information, contact Terry Chavez, Public Information Officer at (305) 547-0535 or TerryGonzalez-Chavez@MiamiSAO.com.