Global Courant 2023-05-30 23:13:48
Five people are missing after a historic Iowa apartment building partially collapses, and officials said Tuesday that two of them are believed to be inside the building.
Nine people have been rescued since the catastrophic structural failure of the 117-year-old, six-story complex in Davenport around 5 p.m. Sunday.
At a news conference Tuesday, city officials said they plan to re-search the complex and are consulting with fire experts and structural engineers to determine the safest way to do so.
The decision is an abrupt reversal, a day after Davenport officials said they would demolish the building Tuesday morning after K-9 units found no survivors inside.
Hours after that Monday announcement, 52-year-old grandmother Lisa Brooks was rescued from her fourth-floor apartment.
Fire Marshal James Morris said the rescue was a “viable indication” that the city should again search for more survivors.
Protesters had rejected the demolition plans. Some were seen holding signs reading “Davenport Deserves Better” and “Find Them First” while people shouted “Search and rescue!” scanned.
Davenport police chief Jeffery Bladel said on Tuesday that five people are missing and “we firmly believe” that two of them are “potentially still in that building.”
Police are continuing to secure a six-story apartment building in Davenport, Iowa, on May 29, 2023 after it collapsed the day before.Scott Olson/Getty Images
One of those believed to still be in is Ryan Hitchcock. His cousin, Amy Anderson, spoke at the press conference and said she supported the city’s demolition plans.
“Ryan wouldn’t want anyone else to risk his life,” she said. “I wouldn’t rule out the possibility that he could be trapped there… we don’t want any more families to lose their lives or anyone else to be injured in removing that rubble.”
She said she spoke to city officials the night before and was promised crews would search through the rubble to discover any possible remains.
Morris said the city’s goal is to search for additional residents inside the structure, but the building’s integrity has only deteriorated since the collapse and it “shifted” when crews were on site.
“We are working with other entities and with our department to dispose of any human remains in a respectful and dignified manner,” he said.
The demolition plans are “under evaluation” and essentially on hold. Officials have not shared a timeline on when a new search or demolition will take place.
The cause of the collapse is still under investigation. Morris said they are in talks with government authorities about who will lead the investigation, but it has not yet been determined whether a criminal offense has been committed.
Officials also shed more light on Tuesday on the owner of the property, identified as Andrew Wold, and previous work at the site.
Mayor Mike Matson said Wold was at the site on Sunday and has been in contact with the city. NBC News has reached out to Wold multiple times for comment.
Morris said there were initial problems with the building and a structural engineer’s report was provided to the city that determined it was safe.
That report was completed by engineering firm Select Structural Engineering based in Bettendorf, Rick Oswald, the director of Davenport’s Development & Neighborhood Services, said Tuesday.
He said two technical reports were submitted to the city within six months: in late January and last week.
Both reports were in response to bricks falling from the building at 324 Main Street, and both times the engineering firm reported to the city that the building was structurally sound and outlined repairs.
