With 117 people still unaccounted for, New Jersey's elite Task Force One has resumed full scale search operations at the site of that condo tower collapse in Florida.

After demolition crews brought down the remaining structure, crews have been able to access new areas of the rubble. That includes bedrooms where many of the residents may have been sleeping as the building collapsed 12 days ago. The New Jersey Office of Emergency Management posted on Facebook TF1 has resumed 24 hour operations.

The search was complicated by tropical weather moving through the area, which caused a pause in operations. New Jersey crew members were relieved to get the all-clear to resume, saying on Facebook, "The rain never bothered us anyway." The team is aided in the search by two K9 units trained to locate both survivors as well as human remains.

Four more victims were discovered, raising the death toll to 28 people. Another 117 people remained unaccounted for, including a young couple from Lakewood. "The site is busier and more active now than I've seen it since we began, now that the damaged building is down," Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett said, adding that heavy equipment was now able to move freely around the site.

Rescuers hoped to get a clearer picture of voids that may exist in the rubble as they search for anyone still trapped under the fallen wing of the building, but they found very few voids, Miami-Dade Assistant Fire Chief Raide Jadallah told family members late Monday.

*The Associated Press contributed to this story

Deadly condo tower collapse in Florida

A wing of a 12-story beachfront condo building collapsed with a roar in a town outside Miami early Thursday, June 24, trapping residents in rubble and twisted metal. (AP Photos)

Olympic athletes from NJ competing in Tokyo 2021

After the pandemic sidelined world-class athletes in 2020, at least 18 Olympic contenders with New Jersey roots have qualified for the Tokyo Olympic games. Some are returning after an appearance in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2016 — while others find themselves in their first Olympics.

Here's the roundup of contenders, grouped by sport, with the opening ceremony set for July 23.

 

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