What's changed one year after the deadly condo collapse in Surfside?

WAMU 88.5 | By Chris Remington

Published June 21, 2022 at 3:09 PM CDT

An aerial view of the cleared lot where the 12-story Champlain Towers South condo building once stood in Surfside, Florida.

Friday marks one year since 98 people were killed in an early morning condominium collapse in Surfside, Florida.

This week, the South Florida community is commemorating the lives lost and asking what’s changed to prevent another tragedy.

A federal investigation into the exact cause of the collapse is ongoing. But family members of the victims have reached a nearly $1 billion settlement with developers, engineers, insurance companies, and others.

We speak with Martin Langesfeld who lost his sister and brother-in-law as well as the attorney representing victims in the class action lawsuit.

Nicole Langesfeld and Luis Sadovnic in their engagement photo in December of 2020. The newlyweds died in the Surfside condominium collapse.

We also speak with WLRN reporter Veronica Zaragovia and Florida state Rep. Daniel Perez, who has been pushing for legislative changes to condo inspections and regulations.