

All I kept thinking was that’s going to happen to our building."Ĭhamplain Towers North and East were later deemed safe, though residents have been offered a place to relocate if they'd like. They were stuck there," she said. "At that moment, I didn’t know what was happening. "I also remember seeing people on the remaining balconies screaming and panicking. "I remember seeing my old friend’s apartment, half of it gone. I knew a family there too and was so scared for them," she said.Įveryone the Le Troadecs know who live in Champlain Towers South - including an old classmate from elementary school and family friends - survived.Īfter condo collapse, another battle: Rescue crews had to fight an underground fire Nina's mind trailed to the people she knew who lived in the South tower. The next time they looked out the window, half the building was gone. The family was still in shock as a cloud of dust approached their balcony.

A friend had come over earlier Wednesday and her room was a mess. She was still awake when the commotion started. Her dad lives in New York but visits often. When her family settled in South Florida, they moved to the Champlain Towers - she's lived there ever since. The rising high school junior was born in Switzerland but moved to Surfside with her mom and sister in 2012. Live Tuesday: Ask our reporters anything about the Surfside condominium collapse Nina is among hundreds of locals who first saw the Champlain Towers collapse - a front-row seat she never asked for, just behind her bedroom curtains, even before first responders or news media caught up.įlorida condo tower collapse: More victims named with death toll at 10 and 151 still missing. I couldn't believe I just saw a building collapse right in front of my eyes." "I rush to open my curtains and right as I look out, I see the second part of the building falling," she said. The 15-year-old lives in the Champlain Towers East building in Surfside, Florida - a sister tower to the now-collapsed Champlain Towers South.īut after hearing a huge noise from outside, she went to her bedroom balcony view and couldn't believe her eyes. When Nina Le Troadec used to look out her bedroom balcony, she saw a skyline.
