A partial collapse of scaffolding at an oceanfront condo building in Miami Beach killed one person and injured another on Tuesday afternoon.
The accident happened at Villa Di Mare, a boutique condo building at 5801 Collins Avenue. One person was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital in critical condition, a spokesperson for the Miami Beach Fire Department said. That person later died, according to the city. The second person was treated on the scene.
Villa Di Mare, a 12-unit building constructed in 2002, has an open permit for concrete restoration, painting and stucco work that was issued in December. Procon Contractor Services is listed as the contractor.
Concrete restoration is very common, especially for buildings near the ocean, which are the subject of more wear and tear compared to buildings that are further inland.
The collapse three years ago of Champlain Towers South, three miles north in Surfside, put the spotlight on older condo buildings that had deferred maintenance and repairs. Nearly 100 people were killed when Champlain Towers South pancaked overnight.
As a result of the collapse, the Florida Legislature passed laws in 2022 and 2023 that create milestone inspections for condo and co-op buildings that are three stories or taller when they turn 25 or 30 years old, depending on how close to the coastline they are. They also require all associations to complete structural integrity reserve studies (SIRS) every decade, and fully fund those reserves, among other new mandatory reserve rules.
Construction accidents are also not uncommon. In April, a portion of a tower crane collapsed in downtown Fort Lauderdale, killing one construction worker and injuring three people. The crane fell at the site at 333 North New River Drive East, a 43-story apartment building that’s under construction.