"How could a collapse of a condo in Surfside, FL happen?!"

[GulfCoast66]

53. Actually it has not. Many hurricanes have come near, but none hit.

Andrew wiped out Homestead, south of Miami. This is north of Miami.

Several storms hit north of them but that put them on the left side of the storm with offshore winds. Francis and Jeanne in 04 which also came thru central Florida. Irma passed maybe 80 miles west of them. That one cost me a new roof.

Hurricanes are strange. They are huge storms. But if the eyewall misses you by even 25 miles they are not that bad. Unless it floods. I’ve been through a bunch. Most have been like day long bad thunderstorms Only been through an eyewall twice. Do not want to repeat that experience.

But the building would have stood through a bad one if maintained as it was built. They basically let it rot till it fell. And rot is the correct term. Saltwater rots concrete and especially iron support beams and rebar. And does it fast.