SURFSIDE, FLA. (WSVN) - Families and loved ones of the 98 people who lost their lives in the Champlain Towers South building collapse in Surfside came together to commemorate the fourth anniversary of the tragedy.
Members of the community, families, survivors, and first responders gathered on Tuesday morning at 88th and Collins to remember and recite the names of those who lost their lives.
One of those survivors, Deven Gonzalez, recalled how she woke up in the rubble after falling from apartment 904 on the morning of June 24, 2021.
“Four years ago today, I woke up in piles of rubble in complete darkness. All I could think was, ‘Where is my mom’ and ‘Where is my dad?'” said Gonzalez.
Unfortunately, she soon found out her father did not survive.
“None of us who’ve lost a loved one are OK and we will always have a void,” said Gonzalez. “The family we once had was ripped away, and though I survived, I lost so much.”
Gonzalez’s father, Edgar, is one of the victims who lost their lives in the collapse. A torch lightning was also held in their honor by the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.
Other family members shared memories of their loved ones.
“I could write a whole novel about the kind of woman she was. Kind, resilient, fun,” said Patty Vazquez Bello, daughter of a victim.
Local officials, from Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett to Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine-Cava, attended the event to show support for the victims and their families and to remember the bond the community created due to the tragedy.
“This is a loving, respectful time for us to come together to remember and celebrate the lives of those 98 people,” said Burkett.
“Your presence reminds us that this community, which is bound together by heartbreak and hope, remains strong and compassionate,” said Levine-Cava.
But some families, like the Langsfeld, still want answers to how the collapse occurred and someone held accountable.
“For the families, the survivors, and the friends, every day is June 24th. Every day we carry the weight of what happened on that tragic night,” said Pablo Langsfeld. “And now, four years later, four long years have passed, and we still don’t know why the building collapsed. We need closure. We need clarity. We need accountability. We need concrete answers and we need them now.”
“Four years later, all we have are empty hypothesis,” said Martin Langesfeld, brother of victim.
Federal investigators say they are closer than ever to having an answer to what went wrong on that fateful day.
“Our investigation revealed widespread areas where the construction of Champlain Towers South failed to meet the requirements of the design documents and applicable codes and standards,” said Glenn Bell, co-lead investigator of the CTS collapse.
On Monday, the National Institute of Standards and Technology released a comprehensive update of the disaster, suggesting construction and structural failures led to the imminent collapse, including influence from environmental factors for 40 years. The final report is expected to be released in 2026.
“We intend for our investigation of this failure to have a lasting impact, save future lives, and ensure this never happens again,” said Mitrani-Reiser.
“This pain in our hearts will never go away. It’s been four years and we still don’t have answers,” said Gonzalez.
The mayor, along with some families, are calling for an independent investigation into the cause of the collapse.
“While we appreciate that there’s a national agency that’s doing the research, we still, four years later, don’t have any definitive answers,” said Burkett.
He said construction on the permanent memorial will begin soon. The memorial will be located just north of where the building once stood.
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