New inspection report reveals 3-foot deep gap between soil and ground-level at Rialto Apartments
AFTER HER DISAPPEARANCE ON CHILD — CHARGES. A NEW REPORT SURROUNDING THE RIALTO APARTMENTS, WHICH WERE EVACUATED LAST MONTH AFTER CRACKS STARTED TO FORM THE COMPANY INVESTIGATING, RELEASED THEIR FINDINGS AT WESH 2 NEWS. LUANA MUNOZ HAS BEEN READING THROUGH THIS SURVEY THAT MAY EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED. WELL, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT INFORMATION FROM THAT SURVEY SHOWS THAT THERE IS A GAP JUST BENEATH THIS BUILDING THAT IS THREE FEET DEEP AND 15FT WIDE, KIND OF LIKE NOT KNOWING WHAT’S GOING ON AND THEN WAITING FOR EMAILS DAY BY DAY. TENANTS AT THE RIALTO APARTMENTS ON WEST SAND LAKE ROAD IN ORLANDO CONTINUE TO GATHER THEIR BELONGINGS. THE ONGOING STRESS STARTED ON MARCH 19TH, WHEN THEY WERE FORCED TO MOVE OUT OF THEIR FIVE STORY BUILDING BECAUSE OF CRACKS AND STRUCTURAL CONCERNS. SINCE THEN, THE BUILDING’S OWNER, NORTHLAND RIALTO, HIRED A COMPANY TO INVESTIGATE. THOSE FINDINGS WERE SENT TO WESH TWO THURSDAY FROM ORANGE COUNTY’S DIVISION OF BUILDING SAFETY. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DETAIL, SAYS, QUOTE, WE OBSERVED A GAP BETWEEN THE SOIL AND THE GROUND LEVEL SLAB THAT EXTENDS UNDERNEATH THE LOAD BEARING WALL FOOTING BETWEEN STACKS 45 AND 47. THE GAP IS APPROXIMATELY THREE FEET DEEP AND 15FT IN DIAMETER. AT THIS TIME, WE BELIEVE THE LACK OF SOIL SUPPORT BELOW THE SLAB ON GRADE BETWEEN STACKS 45 AND 47 RESULTED IN DOWNWARD DISPLACEMENT OR DOWNWARD MOVEMENT OF THE SLAB WALL. SINCE THE EVACUATION, TENANTS HAVE NOT BEEN ALLOWED BACK IN. INSTEAD, THEY HAVE TO WRITE DOWN WHAT THEY NEED AND SOMEONE ELSE GRABS IT FOR THEM. JUST LIKE MY WORK CLOTHES THAT I NEED. BUT IT’S KIND OF HARD BECAUSE I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHERE THEY ARE AT. SO I’M JUST KIND OF HOPING WHATEVER THEY GRAB, IT’S IN THERE. THE DOCUMENT GOES ON TO SAY, QUOTE, THE BUILDING IS CURRENTLY SAFE FOR WORKER ACCESS, AND THERE’S NO CONCERN REGARDING IMMINENT FAILURE TO THE STRUCTURE. HOWEVER, THE BUILDING IS NOT SUITED FOR CONTINUOUS RESIDENT OCCUPANCY. WHILE INVESTIGATION AND EVENTUAL REMEDIAL ACTIVITIES ARE UNDERWAY IN AREAS WHERE RESIDENCY WOULD HAPPEN. WESH TWO ALSO RECEIVED A STATEMENT FROM NORTHERN RIALTO THAT READ IN PART, QUOTE, RESIDENTS CAN EXPECT THIS PROCESS TO TAKE AT LEAST TWO MONTHS AND MAY EXTEND BEYOND THAT AS THE WORK PROGRESSES, RESIDENTS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ACCESS THEIR APARTMENTS WHILE THE EVALUATION AND WORK ARE ONGOING. HOWEVER, NORTHLAND RIALTO WILL CONTINUE TO FACILITATE RETRIEVAL OF PERSONAL PROPERTY TO THE EXTENT THAT CONDITIONS PERMIT. NORTHLAND RIALTO IS OFFERING ITS TENANTS WHO CHOOSE TO BREAK THEIR LEASE $2,000 AND ALSO MOVING ASSISTANCE WITHIN A 25 MILE RADIUS FOR THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO STAY WITH ANOTHER PROPERTY THAT THEY OWN, THEY’RE OFFERING THEM TWO MONTHS OF FREE RENT. OF COURSE, WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO STAY ON TOP OF THIS STORY AND BRING YOU THE LATEST INFORMATION EVERY S
New inspection report reveals 3-foot deep gap between soil and ground-level at Rialto Apartments
Updated: 4:43 PM EDT Apr 5, 2026
Engineers conducted an inspection of the Rialto Apartments Wednesday, releasing a new report that claims the “lack of soil support” underneath the apartment complex could have been the main cause for the evacuations.The apartments were evacuated last month after cracks began to form.The new report said the initial observations indicated a portion of the building on West Sand Lake Road had likely been displaced and was moving downward.Engineers “observed a gap between the soil and the ground-level slab” that extends underneath the building, the report said.According to the report, the gap is 3 feet deep and 15 feet wide.Engineers believe the lack of soil support is what caused the displacement.This report comes after all residents of the nearly 200 units, more than 350 people, are still without a home.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
Engineers conducted an inspection of the Rialto Apartments Wednesday, releasing a new report that claims the “lack of soil support” underneath the apartment complex could have been the main cause for the evacuations.
The apartments were evacuated last month after cracks began to form.
The new report said the initial observations indicated a portion of the building on West Sand Lake Road had likely been displaced and was moving downward.
Engineers “observed a gap between the soil and the ground-level slab” that extends underneath the building, the report said.
According to the report, the gap is 3 feet deep and 15 feet wide.
Engineers believe the lack of soil support is what caused the displacement.
This report comes after all residents of the nearly 200 units, more than 350 people, are still without a home.