Building demolition in Miami Beach critically injures construction worker

Update 7:15 p.m. EDT July 23: The project manager who was injured when debris from the building demolition spread further than planned, was identified as 46-year-old Samuel Landis, according to the Miami Herald.

Landis was struck by debris Monday morning, and listed in critical condition late Monday afternoon at Jackson Memorial Hospital, the Herald reported.

A search of the rubble did not turn up any additional victims.

"All of the construction workers were accounted for and as a precaution they deployed search and rescue dogs and cadaver dogs," Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber said, according to the newspaper.

Officials with Winmar Construction, Inc. described the incident as a "construction accident" that "occurred during the planned, approved and permitted demolition," the Herald reported. The company referred additional questions to the subcontractor on the project AlliedBean Demolition.

“We are working closely with city officials and industry agencies to understand what happened during Allied’s demolition of the structure,” Winmar Construction president Luis Leon said in a statement.

Both Miami Beach police and the Occupational Health and Safety Association are investigating the accident.

(Original story)

The injured person was identified only as a construction worker who authorities found in the middle of the street after they were called around 10 a.m. to reports of the collapse at 5775 Collins Avenue.

The man was in critical condition at a local hospital Monday, Miami Beach Fire Chief Virgil Fernandez said. Officials were investigating reports that the man was injured by falling debris.

“We hope that this construction worker is able to make it through this,” Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber said.

Authorities do not believe anyone else was injured in Monday’s incident, although officials planned to send dogs into the debris to double check for additional victims.

Video released by government officials showed rubble left after the building collapsed.

"Obviously something went terribly wrong," Gelber said.

The building, previously known as the Marlborough House, was slated for demolition after it was bought by a Brazilian developer, according to the Miami Herald. The newspaper reported that the 13-story building had no residents ahead of the expected demolition.

A city building official said Monday that the building’s owner requested an implosion permit to demolish it with explosives, however, the permit was denied because the City of Miami Beach does not allow for such demolitions. Officials instead issued a regular demolition permit, she said. The permit was set to expire in October.

Officials said people in buildings neighboring the one that collapsed Monday were told that the building’s demolition would begin before the collapse on Monday.