A judge on Wednesday said families who suffered losses in the 12-story collapse of a South Florida condominium building will receive at least $150 million in initial compensation.
The figure includes insurance on the Champlain Towers South building in Surfside. Expected proceeds from the sale of where the property once stood is also included.
“The court’s concern has always been the victims here,” Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Michael Hanzman said at a hearing. “Their rights will be protected.”
The figure does not count toward any proceeds from any of the numerous lawsuits filed since the June 24 collapse. Those lawsuits have consolidated into a class action. As of Wednesday, at least 97 people have died.
A receiver appointed by Hanzman to handle the Champlain Towers board’s finances said the site has been completely cleared of debris under the watchful eye of investigators from the National Institute of Standards and Technology — the agency leading a federal probe into the collapse.
Rubble considered key evidence is being stored in a Miami-area warehouse, with the rest in nearby vacant lots, said the receiver, attorney Michael Goldberg. All of that will be preserved as possible evidence for the lawsuits and for other experts to review, he said.- READ MORE
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