Miami (AFP) - A Miami courthouse is to undergo urgent repairs after a safety review sparked by a deadly building collapse last month found safety concerns, officials said late Friday.
The decision to review the Miami-Dade County Courthouse and other county buildings was made "out of an abundance of caution," the officials said in a joint statement, in response to the collapse of the 12-story Champlain Towers South.
At least 79 people died in the collapse and 61 people remain missing, feared dead in the building's debris. Rescuers have ended their search for survivors.
"The engineer's report of the Courthouse identified safety concerns with various floors and recommended floors 16 and above be closed to staff while repairs are swiftly completed," said the statement, issued by Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cave, Miami-Dade Circuit Court Chief Judge Nushin Sayfie and Miami-Dade Clerk of Courts Harvey Ruvin.
They did not provide specifics about the safety concerns or the repairs that would be needed.
All staff would be forced to work from home after the closure, it added. They had only recently returned to work because of the coronavirus pandemic.
