What We Know About the Building Collapse in Surfside, Fla.

A portion of a condo tower in the Miami-area beachfront town of Surfside, Fla., collapsed. Rescue authorities responded to a call at about 1:30 a.m. Thursday and found the northeast section of the 12-story, 136-unit Champlain Towers South building had collapsed, said Ray Jadallah, chief of operations at Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.

Officials said it was too soon to determine the cause of the collapse. “Buildings just don’t fall down in America, they just don’t,” said Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett in an interview.

The scene was otherworldly, with couches, bunk beds and mangled...