(Des Moines) Five people are still missing Tuesday in Iowa following the partial collapse of an apartment building in Davenport on Sunday, city officials said Tuesday.
And two of those missing people could be under the rubble.
Mayor Mike Matson confirmed the toll Tuesday at a press conference, following criticism that the City was too quick to demolish the building before making sure no potential victims were still under the roofs. rubble.
Protests erupted after a woman was rescued Monday night, hours after the city ordered demolition to begin as early as Tuesday.
But a family member of one of the missing people said authorities only wanted to tear down the remains of the six-story building in a controlled manner, without dropping more material on the rubble where victims might be.
Fire Commissioner James Morris says the building is “unstable and continues to get worse over time”.
“The structural engineer is of the opinion that any further search operations in this pile of debris should be avoided due to potential collapse,” he said.
“We are currently reviewing the risk assessment to determine where we can return to this building to perform this further research. We are very sensitive to the possibility that there are two people left, “said Mr Morris, fighting back tears.
Protesters near the construction site on Tuesday morning carried signs reading “Find them first” and “Who is in the rubble?” “. Some used a megaphone to shout the names of the residents of the building.
City authorities said rescue teams escorted 12 people out of the building shortly after a central section collapsed around 5 p.m. Sunday, and rescued several others, including one on Sunday evening .
On Monday morning, Fire Chief Michael Carlsten said “no known person was trapped.” Authorities said they would soon transition from a rescue operation to a recovery operation.
In a press release published on Tuesday, the City indicates that it is “permanently reassessing the demolition schedule”.
Chief Carlsten said the back of the complex separated from the rest of the building and authorities discovered a gas leak.
It is unclear what caused the collapse, which left a gaping hole in the center of what was once the Davenport Hotel, a building listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. Built in 1907, the building of steel and concrete covered with brick had been renovated for a mixed use, with residences and businesses.
Work was underway on the exterior of the building at the time of the collapse, said Rich Oswald, director of development and neighborhood services for the city.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed an executive order that activates the state’s Individual Assistance Grant Program and Disaster Management Program for homeless residents. Residents were prevented from returning inside to remove their belongings, due to the unstable state of the building.
Authorities confirmed that several residents had complained of unresolved maintenance issues in recent times.