3 Chicago area natives among the missing in Florida condo collapse
CHICAGO - As families hold on to hope that their loved ones are alive in the ruble, a Florida International University professor says the area where the Surfside condo partially collapsed showed signs of sinking during the 1990s.
However, that in and of itself likely would not cause a building's collapse.
The 2020 study conducted by Professor Shimon Wdowinski showed the Champlain Towers South building was one of the places on the east side of the barrier island where land sub-sigh-dense was detected between 1993 to 1999.
A few of those believed missing in the collapse have ties to Chicago.
Juan Mora is an employee of Morton Salt based in the Chicago headquarters office. Mora is a graduate of Loyola University Chicago.
"We are stunned to learn Loyola University Chicago alumnus Juan Mora along with his mother and father are among the missing. We remain hopeful Juan and his parents will be found safe during the search currently underway," Loyola University Chicago spokesperson Anna Rozenich wrote in a statement.
University of Chicago student Ilan Naibryf is also among those missing. He is a rising fourth-year physics and molecular engineering student described by a friend as a tremendous person filled with love.
A social media post says that Ilan and his girlfriend Deborah Berezdivin were in the building that collapsed.
Richard Augustine, Ilan Naibryf and Deborah Berezdivin
Chicago native 77-year-old Richard Augustine is also missing. He was supposed to fly to Chicago on Thursday to visit his daughter, Debbie Hill.
"I don't feel like it's gonna be a good outcome because I know where he was in the building," said Debbie Hill. "And I know how the building collapsed."