Sixty Florida condominium residents were forced to flee their homes as a dangerous crack in a critical support column threatened to collapse their building, with officials warning they could be displaced for up to four days while emergency repairs are made.
Key Takeaways
- Clearwater’s South Beach III condo building was evacuated Tuesday after construction workers discovered a significant crack in a support column.
- Emergency teams are installing steel struts and beams to stabilize the compromised structure before allowing residents to return.
- Despite passing a milestone inspection last year, the building’s inspection reports were not submitted to the City of Clearwater by the required deadline.
- The building, constructed in 1978, falls under Florida’s new law requiring structural inspections every 10 years for aging condominiums.
- Residents may be displaced for 72-96 hours while engineers complete critical stabilization work.
Emergency Evacuation After Critical Structural Failure
The South Beach III condominium in Clearwater Beach, Florida, was subject to an immediate evacuation order on Tuesday when construction workers discovered an alarming crack in a support column underneath the high-rise building. The structural defect triggered immediate concerns about a potential collapse, prompting authorities to evacuate approximately 60 residents. Engineers are now racing to stabilize the compromised column using steel struts and beams as residents face temporary displacement lasting potentially 72 to 96 hours while the emergency repairs continue.
Division Chief of Emergency Management Jevon Graham for the City of Clearwater emphasized the severity of the situation and the extensive response it required: “Any time you have a compromised structure, a support beam of this magnitude, you have to think about a possible collapse. So, our county support team, our different fire departments, our Pinellas County Tech team, our city tech team, fire departments from all across the county, the jurisdiction, all support it, gave staff to kind of help make sure … and you look at one, do you have support the structure, or two, are you going to deal with a search and rescue and demolition.”
Stabilization Efforts Underway
Karins Engineering and Suncoast Restoration were quickly brought in to assess and address the dangerous structural issue. The teams deployed a comprehensive stabilization strategy to prevent further deterioration of the compromised column and ensure the building wouldn’t collapse. The stabilization work includes installing specialized steel supports designed to bear the load previously carried by the damaged column, which now shows significant cracking and deterioration that threatens the overall integrity of the decades-old structure.
“They use steel struts and steel beams to kind of make sure that the column wasn’t going to come down anymore and that the floor and roof was under control and supported,” explained Division Chief of Emergency Management Jevon Graham for the City of Clearwater.
The Red Cross has stepped in to assist displaced residents with temporary accommodation while they await clearance to return to their homes. City officials have made it clear that no residents will be permitted to re-enter the building until a complete structural engineer’s report confirms it is safe to do so, prioritizing public safety over convenience.
Inspection Failures and Regulatory Concerns
The emergency situation has raised serious questions about the building’s inspection history and compliance with Florida’s safety regulations. Despite being constructed in 1978 and falling under Florida’s state law mandating structural inspections every 10 years for aging condominiums, the South Beach III building’s inspection reports were not submitted to the City of Clearwater by the required deadline. This revelation is particularly troubling given that the building reportedly passed a milestone inspection just last year that found no safety issues.
“People were ordered to evacuate from a high-rise building in Clearwater, Florida, after construction workers found a large crack in a pillar underneath the building,” reported Manuel Bojorquez.
The condo association reportedly received the inspection report in 2024, yet failed to forward it to city officials as required. Adding to the concerns, questions have emerged about safety protocols during recent concrete restoration work at the property. The situation serves as a stark reminder of the critical importance of proper building maintenance and adherence to inspection requirements in Florida, where aging coastal structures face significant environmental stresses from salt air, humidity, and occasional hurricane-force winds.
Florida’s History of Structural Failures
This incident carries particular weight in Florida, where memories of the catastrophic Champlain Towers South collapse in Surfside that killed 98 people in 2021 remain fresh. That tragedy prompted Florida legislators to implement stricter regulations regarding condominium inspections and maintenance requirements. The Clearwater evacuation demonstrates both the effectiveness of these new measures in identifying potential catastrophes before they occur and the continued challenges in ensuring all buildings comply with safety regulations.
As engineers work to reinforce and repair the compromised column, this incident serves as a sobering reminder of infrastructure vulnerabilities in older coastal buildings throughout Florida. The quick response by construction workers who first identified the crack, and the immediate evacuation order from officials, may have averted a potential tragedy. For now, displaced residents must wait as engineers determine whether their homes can be safely inhabited again.
