Several firefighters at site of Surfside condo collapse test positive for COVID-19
The challenges for search-and-rescue crews combing through the ruins of the collapsed Surfside condo tower continued to mount Friday when it was announced that six firefighters had tested positive for COVID-19.
On top of a complex and dangerous search operation, inclement weather, fires, the potential threat of Hurricane Elsa and the mental health toll that comes with pulling victims from the pile of broken concrete and bent steel, the coronavirus has now infected six of the more than 350 rescue workers helping in the rescue and recovery of victims from fallen Champlain Towers South.
It wasn’t immediately clear if any of the rescue team members had been quarantined.
Miami-Dade Fire Chief Alan Cominsky confirmed the number of positive cases on Friday. He said the infected firefighters are from a rescue team from Florida, but not in Miami-Dade.
“We do have our medical procedures in place,” Cominsky said. “Unfortunately, this is another challenge but something we’ve been dealing with for over the past year.”
The chief said the task force with the positive cases has been demobilized and firefighters have been isolated.
This story was originally published July 2, 2021 at 11:44 PM.
