Building inspection finds 72 condo units near Orlando unsafe, risk collapse

More than 70 units in a Florida condominium near Orlando were determined to be unsafe on Wednesday after an inspector found that walkways were at risk of collapsing.

Osceola County spokesperson Chris Brumbaugh said that 72 units at Images Condominiums in Kissimmee were found to be unsafe after an engineering firm determined that a walkway leading to them was “in danger of collapse,” the Orlando Sentinel reported.

Residents were advised to enter the building, built in 1990, at their own risk. Osceola County staff and partners were present at the building to help residents with temporary housing, according to Brumbaugh, who said the engineering report was put together on behalf of the condo building’s management company.

“Osceola County acted quickly in the best interest of public safety by declaring the structures unsafe on Wednesday morning, which was immediate action after it learned of the engineering report performed on behalf of the Condominium Association/management company,” Brumbaugh said in a statement to The Hill on Thursday.

“Repairing the existing structural issues is the responsibility of the condo association/management company.”

The Sentinel reported that residents in need of assistance have been advised to call Osceola County Human Services or the Red Cross.

#BREAKING #exclusive #news13osceola – 75 units at #Images Condominiums near #Kissimmee deemed #unsafe by #Osceola County after consultants say several walkways could #collapse. Questions? Call Osceola’s Human Services at 407-742-8400 or #RedCross at 407-894-4141 or 1-800-733-2767 pic.twitter.com/jX6LaCq9OV

— Kevin P. Connolly (@KevinPConnolly_) June 30, 2021

The report comes one week after the deadly collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium building in Surfside, Fla., that left at least 18 people dead. Local officials said Wednesday that more than 140 people remain unaccounted for as responders continue to search the rubble.

Reports that have come out since the collapse have revealed years-long frustration over the millions of dollars worth of repairs that the building needed. In 2018, an engineering firm determined that there was “major structural damage” in the building’s ground-floor parking garage.

Updated at 12:21 p.m.