We hold in our hearts Surfside, Florida

And we need answers.

The video of half a beachside Florida condominium building collapsing early Thursday is breathtaking. The collapse of roughly half the units of the 12-story Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Florida, came without warning, and as of this writing, one person has been pronounced dead, and nearly 100 people are still unaccounted for. Local news reporters took to social media, which made the feared human cost that much more real:

Also as of this writing, there is speculation as to how could this happen. It’s anybody’s guess why the 40-year old building pancaked as it did. It may take time, but we need transparency and rigorous investigation. As the Miami Herald editorial board said: We need answers. ASAP:

It will take a while to find out what happened, but we must learn who, or what, is to blame for the horrific partial collapse of a 12-story oceanfront condo tower Thursday morning on Collins Avenue in the town of Surfside.

And then never allow it to happen again, and punish those responsible, if need be. Let’s hope human greed or carelessness are not responsible.

The collapse brought to mind a horrible similar Miami event from 2018, when a Florida International University bridge collapsed and killed six people. A National Transportation Safety Board investigation said original engineering calculations were incorrect, and an attempt by the school to repair the bridge hastened the collapse.

Please understand I only know what I read in the papers, but it’s always struck me that when public jobs go to the lowest bidder, you get what you pay for.

Yesterday, Rabbi Sholom Lipskar, founder of The Shul of Bal Harbour near the rubble, was awaiting word on some members of his congregation who lived in the complex. Rabbi Lipskar said on CNN that there is no rationale for a tragedy like this.

“There’s a certain hope in the air, but it’s a strange feeling,” he said. “I’ve rarely had this kind of feeling, except in a war zone.”

First responders are looking for noises. Rescue experts say people can survive buried in such rubble for days. We hold out hope.