A Dayton, Ohio-based urban search and rescue team is nearing its first full 24 hours of work at the site of a Miami-area condominium collapse, a spokesperson said.
Ohio Task Force 1 began its first "operational cycle" at midnight on Saturday, spokesperson Phil Sinewe told The Enquirer.
The 80-person crew is one of five urban search and rescue teams called to assist with rescue efforts at the collapse site in Surfside, Florida, Sinewe said.
The task force has split into two groups of 40, with each group working a 12-hour shift, he said. "So, they're just moving into the their first full 24 hours of operation."
A canine team is assisting with finding people trapped in the rubble, as well as searching for human remains, Sinewe said. The canine team is accompanied by a search and rescue team responsible for searching through and moving rubble.
There is also a group of heavy equipment rigging specialists, Sinewe added. "And their job is to coordinate work with crane operators and lift some of these large pieces of concrete to move them to get them out of the way."
The task force arrived in Florida around 8 p.m. on Thursday and is currently on a 14-day deployment, though Sinewe says it's possible the deployment will be extended.
One side of the condominium building collapsed Thursday, June 24. Since then, documents have been released showing officials were aware of structural problems with the building for years, but little was done to address them.
Officials said the death toll from the collapse increased overnight to 24 victims, and 124 people remain missing, according to USA TODAY.
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine graduate Dr. Brad Cohen and his brother, Dr. Gary Cohen, are among those still missing following the collapse.
In an interview with People magazine, Cohen's wife, Soraya Cohen, said at first she thought if anyone could survive the collapse it was her husband, but as the days have passed she doesn't believe he's still alive.
"I feel like it's a surreal nightmare and I'm going to wake up and it's over," she told the magazine.
Officials is Florida have moved up plans to demolish the remaining part of the building out of concern that a secondary collapse could endanger rescue workers.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told reporters on Saturday that demolition costs will be paid for by the state, adding the work should begin within 36 hours, USA TODAY reported. He said officials believe demolition can be finished before the arrival of Tropical Storm Elsa early next week.
USA TODAY contributed to this report.
