July 5th marks the twelfth day since the partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South apartment building.  The building in Surfside, Florida has become a frantic site of activity, with rescue crews searching for survivors. As the death toll rises to 24, and a further 121 people remain unaccounted for, the mayor of Miami-Dade county, Daniella Levine Cava has ordered the demolition of the partially collapsed condo, pausing the search and rescue effort, in order to ensure public safety as extreme weather approaches.

But as the search continues, reports have surfaced detailing multiple problems and defects with the now partially collapsed building.

2SER’s Monday Breakfast spoke to Dr Trivess Moore, a Senior Lecturer from the School of Property, Construction, and Project Management from RMIT University to ask: Why did this apartment collapse? And what could have been done to prevent it?