Judith Mitrani-Reiser, investigative lead, says in the announcement that the NIST team was onsite in Surfside within 48 hours of the collapse, and has worked in collaboration with Miami-Dade Police Dept. (MDPD) to identify and preserve potential evidence that could explain the collapse.

“Since then, we have conducted extensive testing of concrete slabs, columns and reinforcing steel so that we could understand the condition of the building and the forces acting on it at the time of the tragedy,” she says.

Five days after NIST arrived on site, it announced it would conduct an investigation under the National Construction Safety Team Act, giving it the authority to investigate building failures and establish likely causes of a building failure and recommend specific improvements to codes and practices.

NIST's investigations, the announcement points out, are fact-finding efforts, and NIST is not authorized to find fault, responsibility or negligence through its investigations.

Investigation Associate Lead Glenn Bell says more than 600 pieces of evidence from the site have been secured, and according to the announcement, NIST collaborated with police to develop guidance for first responders on which building elements would be important to earmark for potential investigation into the cause of the collapse.

Miami-Dade’s Homicide Bureau, the Miami-Dade Fire Dept. and others cooperated with structures specialists and contractors onsite to develop procedures to preserve potential evidence, while remote sensing helped determine where that evidence was located.

Immediately following the collapse, evidence was in custody of the Miami-Dade Homicide Bureau as part of its death investigation. NIST was provided access to the evidence, and when it was transferred to NIST custody in January 2022, MDPD also maintained access to it.

NIST says physical evidence in this case is especially important given the lack of video showing the collapse, and the inability of researchers to locate as-built drawings for the Champlain Towers South.

Investigation project teams continue their work, with the goal of completing technical work in 2025 and releasing the draft report in spring 2026, a revised date announced in a September update following complications with interviews, public records access, personnel and complex testing added six to seven months to the schedule.

Another update in March included the conclusion that the condominium’s pool deck failed more than four minutes ahead of the collapse of the 12-story structure.