Did Town of Surfside fail to protect residents from major structural damage?
SURFSIDE, Fla.  As officials confirmed the casualties from the beachside condo collapse in Surfside reached 10 on Monday, documents are raising new questions about what town officials knew about the buildings structural issues and when. Documents released by the town show despite a 2018 engineering report which flagged major structural damage to the 136-unit building, a month later, the towns former building official told concerned residents the building was in very good shape according to board meeting minuted released by the town Monday morning. The revelation follows a string of recently released documents by the town that paints a picture of a 40-year old oceanside condominium scarred by wear, tear, errors, and failures. In 2018, engineers inspecting the building as part of its 40-year- recertification found a lack of proper waterproofing, or drainage, had caused concrete slaps near the entrance of the garage and under the pool deck to deteriorate. The report stated without a fix in the near future the damage could expand exponentially.  John Pistorino is one of Miamis most recognized structural engineers. He created much of the countys building codes, its 40-year- certification mandate and had been asked to help investigators uncover what led to the 12-story condo with a penthouse to fall in the middle of the night. Pistorino wouldnt talk specifics about this building but explains how bad drainage can become a major problem. Waterproofing is absolutely vital. If water gets in there and underneath the waterproofing, in the structural slab and the drains dont get rid of it, then the saltwater is going to have the opportunity to attack the steal, Pistorino said. When asked if it could attack to such a point that causes a building to collapse, Pistorino responded, you know I cant comment on that unless I know all the details.  Pistorino told us he hasnt read the documents recently released by the town. He said he wouldnt until the full forensic investigation begins which will take time since rescue and recovery efforts are ongoing. He also wouldnt speculate if major structural damage meant the damage should have been taken care of immediately. RELATED: 11 dead, 150 missing as search-and-rescue efforts continue following Surfside condo collapse  However, he did say that any damage would have been communicated to town building officials who have policing powers and can issue fines or force residents to vacate, if necessary. Concerns about the buildings structure werent new when engineers found issues. Records show residents expressed concerns about the towers stability due to nearby construction. Emails show their concerns were dismissed by the same former town building official, Ross Prieto. Prieto now works for a building consultant doing work for the City of Doral. He nor his company responded to requests for comment. A spokesperson from the town of Surfside also didnt respond to questions. Meantime, neighbors of Champlain Tower East are concerned about their own buildings stability. Robert Lisman and Marta Castro live in Champlain Tower East, just one building down from the building that collapsed early Thursday morning. They showed Investigative Reporter pictures of a crack in a column in buildings parking garage. Lismad said the crack did not exist before the South Tower collapsed. He brought it to the towns attention. Town officials confirmed there was no imminent danger, Lisman said. His building was built in the early 1990s and doesnt show the wear and tear the South Tower did before it fell. Still, hes worried especially after learning what engineers documented that they found in the South Tower in 2018, but it didnt seem enough for town officials to act on. It remains unknown if any of the findings in 2018 contributed to the buildings destruction.