Iowa building collapse - latest: Davenport authorities quit rubble search for missing despite family pleas

Cause of the apartment collapse remains undetermined and no deaths have been reported despite three men remaining unaccounted for

Video shows dramatic aftermath of building collapse in Iowa

Three men are still feared to be trapped under the wreckage of the residential building that collapsed in Davenport, Iowa, earlier this week - despite a search for survivors has been completed.

Ryan Hitchcock, Branden Colvin and Daniel Prien remain unaccounted for five days after a large section of the six-story building collapsed. Relatives of Mr Hitchcock and Mr Colvin believe the men are in the rubble, while police say they have not been in contact with Mr Prien’s family.

Authorities say a task force completed their search for survivors on Thursday 2 June and the city would move to begin taking down the remaining shaky structure.

Questions about the history of the building’s structural integrity have risen.

Ryan Shaffer told The Quad-Cities Times he gave at least three warnings that the structure’s instability could prove deadly. His first warning came in February, when he claims Mr Wold approached him with potential work to shore up the building – but then decided to hire a cheaper firm instead.

Just two days before the collapse, Mr Shaffer said he told construction workers: “Get away, you’re going to die.”

Key Points

• Three residents still missing as search efforts continue
• Contractor says he warned Davenport building owner of likely collapse
• Family of woman rescued from Iowa building collapse reveal how screams saved her from demolition
• Residents say building was known to have issues: ‘Our bathroom caved in December'
• Gas leak noted as possible cause as fire chief warns of secondary collapse

[3 June 2023 11:00 · Ariana Baio]

Family of woman rescued from Iowa building collapse reveal how screams saved her from demolition

A woman who was rescued nearly 24 hours after the collapse of her apartment building in Davenport, Iowa, narrowly escaped getting caught up in a planned demolition. Her family is crediting her escape not to rescue crews but to people shouting her name from the street.

Lisa Brooks was speaking with a relative on the phone when her six-storey apartment complex on 324 Main Street fell down on Sunday evening. Eight people were rescued within the first twelve hours of the tragedy, but there were no signs of Ms Brooks.

Ms Brooks’ great-granddaughter Pauletta Joeanna told The Independent on Tuesday that Ms Brooks was unconscious for a long time. She attributed her great-grandmother’s last-minute escape in part to family members who were at the scene. Dramatic footage posted by Ms Joeanna also shows Ms Brooks escape as she is lowered to safety by a firefighter.

“She’s at home, she’s fine now. She had passed out under the couch and the only reason she woke up is because we were yelling her name,” Ms Joeanna said.

Andrea Blanco reports:

[3 June 2023 12:00 · Ariana Baio]

Son of man missing in Iowa building collapse is sleeping at site in hopes of hearing his dad’s voice

Branden Colvin Jr has been sleeping outside of the six-story apartment building that collapsed in Davenport, Iowa, in hopes of hearing his father’s voice.

His father, Branden Colvin Sr is one of the three residents that have been missing since the building collapsed on Sunday.

“I know my dad’s in there and there’s nothing I can do,” Mr Colvin Jr told ABC News.

Mr Colvin Sr lived on the fourth floor of The Davenport.

Ariana Baio reports:

[3 June 2023 13:00 · Ariana Baio]

Davenport mayor says ‘hell yeah’ to having regrets

Facing persistent scrutiny over the collapse of a building in his city, Davenport Mayor Mike Matson heartily confirmed that he has regrets over the situation.

“Do I have regrets about this tragedy and about people potentially losing their lives? Hell yeah. Do I think about this every moment? Hell yeah,” Mr Matson told reporters on Thursday. “I have regrets about a lot of things. Believe me, we’re going to look at that.”

His comments came as three men remain missing more than four days after the collapse.

City officials have said they didn’t order an evacuation of the apartment building prior to the collapse because an engineer had assured it was safe - despite repeated complaints from tenants and visible damage on the structure’s exterior.

[3 June 2023 14:00 · Ariana Baio]

Engineers warned about building days before it collapsed

Four days before The Davenport collapsed, engineers from Select Structural Engineering sent a letter that indicated the structural integrity of the building was not going to last much longer.

“There are several large patches of clay brick facade which are separating from the substrate. These large patches appear ready to fall imminently,” the letter, postmarked from 24 May, reads.

The letter outlines several alarming finds like the drywall on the first floor being stripped away, a lack of bracing that indicated the facade was “about to topple outward”, deformed walls, steel and drywall bowing and more.

City officials said that based on a report from Select Structural Engineering there “was not cause to think” residents should evacuate.