Nearly three years before an oceanfront building collapsed near Miami, an engineering firm estimated the building needed more than $9 million in major repairs. That is according to emails from the firm of Morabito Consultants that were released by the city of Surfside.

The release of the 2018 cost estimate followed the earlier publication of another document from the firm showing the ground-floor pool deck of the building was resting on a concrete slab that had “major structural damage” and needed to be extensively repaired.

That report also uncovered “abundant cracking and spalling” of concrete columns, beams and walls in the parking garage. At least nine people were killed in the collapse and more than 150 people remained unaccounted for.

Authorities also announced Saturday they are beginning an audit of buildings nearing their 40-year review — like the fallen Champlain Towers South — to make sure they’re safe.

While the engineering report from the firm of Morabito Consultants did not warn of imminent danger from the damage — and it is unclear if any of the damage observed was responsible for the collapse — it did note the need for extensive and costly repairs to fix the systemic issues with the building, specifically to fix the slab as well as damaged concrete columns beams and walls in the parking garage.

A half-dozen scientists and engineers who specialize in disastrous structure failures are headed to south Florida to collect firsthand information on the cause of the catastrophic collapse of Champlain Towers South.

Their initial work will be used to determine whether to pursue a more thorough study. Jason Averill at the National Institute of Standards and Technology says the first two members of the agency's team arrived in Florida on Friday and four more will be there by Monday.

That agency also investigated disasters such as the collapse of the Twin Towers on 9/11, the 2011 Joplin, Missouri, tornadoes and Hurricane Maria's devastation in Puerto Rico.

SURFSIDE, Fla. (WPTV) -- The first lawsuit has been filed in connection with the deadly collapse this week at a South Florida condominium.

The suit was filed late Thursday night, less than 24 hours after the Champlain Towers building partially collapsed in Surfside, Florida, killing at least four people.

It was filed on behalf of Manuel Drezner and attorney Brad Sohn of The Brad Sohn Law Firm for the victims involved in the tragedy.

The class-action lawsuit against the building association seeks to compensate the victims and says the defendant failed to "safeguard the lives and property" of residents.

The suit goes on to say that the association failed to "properly protect the lives and property" of the plaintiffs.

"According to public statements made by Defendant’s attorney Ken Direktor, 'repair needs had been identified' with regard to certain structural issues but had not been implemented; one of the most breathtakingly frightening tragedies in the history of South Florida followed," the lawsuit said.

The plaintiffs in the case are seeking restitution, recovery of damages and the cost of attorney fees following the tragedy.

They are seeking to recover $5 million for the victims, according to the lawsuit.

Sohn said he has been contacted by numerous victims who said they did have concerns over the structural integrity of the building prior to the partial collapse.

The attorney said the goal of the lawsuit is to try to make the victims whole again as soon as possible and to start holding those accountable so that evidence may be preserved.

Direktor, the attorney representing the Champlain Towers South Association, rejected the lawsuit.

"I don't know what caused this building to fall down, you don't know what caused this building to fall down, government officials do not know what caused this building to fall down, the engineers don't know what caused this building to fall down," Direktor said. "Please, explain to me how this lawyer knows what caused this building to fall down."

MORE: How to help those impacted by the Surfside condo collapse

More than 150 people are still unaccounted for as first responders continue to sift through the rubble looking for survivors.

The building was constructed in 1981 and set to undergo a 40-year recertification process, which is mandated by code enforcement in Miami-Dade County.

This story originally reported by Michelle Quesada and Scott Sutton on WPTV.com.