At least eight individuals were injured when a six-story apartment building partially collapsed Sunday evening in the eastern Iowa city of Davenport.
Monday morning, Davenport Fire Chief Mike Carlsten stated, “We are currently concluding the rescue phase of our operation and will soon begin the recovery phase.” Assistance canines were brought in.
Carlsten and the Mayor of Davenport, Mike Matsen, stated that first responders who raced in at their own risk saved lives.
Carlsten stated that the collapse occurred slightly before 5 p.m. local time on Sunday. The collapse’s cause was not readily apparent.
Officials said seven individuals were first recovered, and another was hauled out overnight. More than a dozen more were removed from the building while “self-evacuating.”
In addition to those rescued, more than a dozen people were taken out of the building while “self-evacuating.”
Specialized rescue teams were called in to help with the debris search. According to The Quad-City Times, an air ambulance landed nearby Sunday night.
One tenant told the publication that she escaped after “everything just fell down and everything fell on top of me,” but her wife and cats remained inside.
Firefighters discovered a “large natural gas leak.” Water was also pouring down from burst pipes, adding that the building’s gas and water lines had been turned off. The fire brigade was concerned about the building’s structural soundness.
A Tweet posted by the official account of WXII 12 News. You can also find out more information about 8 People Rescued From Partially Collapsed Apartment Building in Davenport, Iowa by reading the below tweet:-
An Iowa apartment building that partially collapsed faces demolition after 8 people were rescued https://t.co/mBrXudDPld
— WXII 12 News (@WXII) May 30, 2023
“Even while we were on the scene, we still had multiple secondary drops of debris coming from that structure,” Carlsten explained. “We want to make sure that all of our responders can get through safely, but we also want to get through there as quickly as possible.”
According to inspectors, the building’s owner had obtained permits to repair its outside brick walls. Officials claimed the owners received two more licenses for exterior brickwork in the previous year. Over the last week, there have been reports of falling bricks due to the restoration work.
Several tenants have complained to the city about various issues with the building. “Notices and orders were issued to the building owner for repairs.”
Davenport is located about 70 miles east of Cedar Rapids along the state’s border with Illinois.
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