Crews Pumping Out Water At Site Of Surfside Condo Collapse

MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- The Town of Surfside is quickly trying to pump out water from the site where the Champlain Towers South once stood.

"Miami Dade County turned off the pumps that they had several weeks ago and so all the rain that has been coming down from the sky has been collecting in this basement and there's very few ways for it to get out," says Allyn Kilsheimer, structural engineer.

Kilsheimer is working as an expert for the town, and spoke with CBS 4 News from the collapse site as crews work to drain out all the water.

He says it's too to tell where the water came from and how much water is here.

Crews are also taking water samples and setting up water pumps.

Surfside's mayor says the town is being forced to foot the bill.

The town was willing to do everything to the bottom of why the building fell down, but we were stopped, we were told cease and desist back off, but now not were being invited to pay the cost of the investigation," says Mayor Charles Burkett.

The town is hoping that the water is completely gone by the weekend so operations at the collapse site can resume Monday.