Environmental regulators to issue violation over Miami tower implosion

A developer with plans to build a new waterfront high-rise will be cited by county environmental regulators after the implosion of an Edgewater apartment tower sent debris flying into Biscayne Bay over the weekend.

Detonations exploded Saturday inside the 12-story Electra on the Bay tower, causing the building to collapse in a matter of seconds. The developer says the demolition was “the result of months of careful planning,” and demolition plans were reviewed and approved Sept. 30 by Miami-Dade’s Department of Regulatory & Economic Resources. The detonation was observed from the west by an inspector, according to a county spokeswoman.

“The building detonated toward the west, which was intentional,” said spokeswoman Tere Florin, adding that nothing appeared to be amiss at the time. “But there was debris that flew out in the opposite direction.”

A video of the implosion shot by Golden Dusk Photography shows a plume of construction dust ballooning over the bay and chunks of debris plunging into the water. The morning explosions reportedly shocked some nearby residents, according to the Miami New Times. After being contacted by media, Florin said the department sent a biologist onto the bay Tuesday and confirmed that the implosion sent materials into the bay.

Florin said the department intends to serve the owner Thursday with a notice of violation. She said the developer went through the proper environmental steps before imploding the building, but will nevertheless have to clean up the bay bottom, and then contact the county to allow for a an inspection. The developer has 14 days to submit a remedial plan, she said.

The city of Miami, which according to developer 700 Edgewater Develompent LLC issued a demolition permit, did not respond to a request for information about permits. In a statement, the company said it received all the necessary permits.

“We worked closely throughout the process with the neighborhood and city agencies, going above and beyond the required outreach to all potentially impacted residents,” the developer said. “We continue to work closely with the city and county.”

This story was originally published October 28, 2015 at 6:52 PM with the headline "Environmental regulators to issue violation over Miami tower implosion."