First death confirmed in Iowa building collapse as two men still missing

The body of forty-two-year-old Branden Colvin was recovered on Saturday

Authorities have recovered the body of one of three men missing after the collapse of a building apartment in Davenport, Iowa.

Branden Colvin, 42, is the first person confirmed to have died following the 28 May collapse, officials told the Associated Press. Two other men, 51-year-old Ryan Hitchcock and 60-year-old Daniel Prien, are still unaccounted for.

Several members of Mr Colvin’s family had camped out in front of the collapsed building hoping to hear news of a miracle rescue before his body was recovered on Saturday. The tragic development came a day after authorities announced that the search for survivors had been completed, with attention turning to shoring up the structure so recovery efforts could begin.

The city’s failure to publicly address reports of missing tenants for the first 36 hours sparked outrage in the community, as did revelations that neither the owner nor city officials warned tenants of a structural engineer’s report indicating a wall of the structure was at imminent risk of crumbling.

After announcing demolition plans roughly 24 hours into the tragedy on 29 May, officials said that search efforts posed a risk to rescuers as remains of the six-storey apartment building were constantly in motion.

Colvin’s body was found on the same day that his 18-year-old son Branden Colvin Jr graduated high school.

The body of 42-year-old Branden Colvin was found following the collapse on 28 May (DCPD)

A flower hangs from a fence at the where on Sunday an apartment building partially collapsed in Davenport, Iow (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

“He’s proud of me. He is the reason I was even able to have enough strength to walk across the stage,” Mr Colvin Jr told CNN. “I walked across that stage today knowing my dad is proud of me and will forever be proud of me.”

The teen had been sleeping at the site of the collapse, waiting for developments in the searches. He had told the network earlier this week wasn’t sure he would be able to attend his graduation as he was grappling with grief.

“I haven’t slept. I have been out here three days, at night, all night, just waiting for anything,” he said. “We had finals this week, Tuesday, and I tried to go to school. As soon as I walked in, I just broke down, and I was just crying ... So, I don’t know if I am going to be able to go to my graduation.”

City officials had said earlier that Colvin, Mr Hitchcock and Mr Prien had a “high probability of being home at the time of the collapse.” Mayor Mike Matson said the debris pile “could be a place of rest for some of the unaccounted.”

Documents released by the city show that city officials and the building’s owner were warned for months that parts of the building were unstable. Tenants also complained to the city about problems they say were ignored by property managers, including no heat or hot water for weeks or even months at a time, as well as mold and water leakage from ceilings and toilets.

IOWA-DERRUMBE (AP)

Current and former residents also told the AP about interior cracks on the wall that ultimately collapsed that were reported to building management.

Andrew Wold, the building’s owner, released a statement dated May 30 saying, “Our thoughts and prayers are with our tenants.” He is now facing a $300 fine for failing to keep the building in a“safe, sanitary and structurally sound condition,” as an investigation is underway to determine what caused the collapse.

The Independent has not been able to reach Mr Wold.