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

[1 June 2023 08:00 · Andrea Blanco]

Building owner named as defendant in civil enforcement action

The city has been in contact with the building owner Andrew Wold, Mr Morris said on Tuesday.

State agencies are coordinating what agency will take the lead in the investigation but no criminal charges have been filed yet.

Iowa court records reviewed by The Independent on Wednesday show that Mr Wold and Davenport Hotel LLC are listed as defendants in a civil enforcement action brought by the City of Davenport on 30 May.

Mr Wold was given a $300 fine for failing to keep the building “safe, sanitary and structurally sound condition,” WQAD reports.

[1 June 2023 08:30 · Maroosha Muzaffar]

Surviving tenant of Iowa collapsed building reveals wife lost leg in rescue

A survivor of the partially collapsed building in Davenport, Iowa, has revealed her wife had her leg amputated by rescuers trying to save her.

Lexus and Quanishia Berry were taking pictures of a crack between a wall and the bathroom doorway when the rear part of their building came down around 5pm on Sunday. Lexus was standing on a part of the structure that didn’t collapse, but in a matter of seconds, her wife and two cats disappeared under the rubble.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, first responders worked tirelessly to evacuate tenants, initially rescuing seven people from the wreckage. For the first 12 hours that authorities were unable to locate Quanishia, her wife stayed in the area, anxiously waiting for updates and holding onto hope that Quanishia had survived the ordeal.

On Monday morning, search crews finally located Quanishia, who was trapped under debris.

[1 June 2023 09:00 · Andrea Blanco]

WATCH: Video shows dramatic aftermath of building collapse in Iowa

[1 June 2023 09:30 · Maroosha Muzaffar]

ICYMI: Desperate search for survivors after apartment building collapses in Iowa

A desperate search is underway to rescue potential survivors of an apartment building collapse in Davenport, Iowa.

Part of a red brick building on the city’s Main Street collapsed at around 5pm Sunday, with stunning photos showing at least one-fourth of the structure’s units destroyed. As of Monday morning, a total of eight people had been rescued from the wreckage.

Davenport Fire Chief Michael Carlsten said during a press conference that no deaths have been reported and the number of potential missing remains unknown.

Mr Carlsten added that the cause of the collapse has not been determined but residents had been placing several 911 calls reporting a “strong smell of gas.”

[1 June 2023 10:00 · Andrea Blanco]

Cats, snakes and lizard rescued from the wreckage

The Humane Society of Scott County announced on Tuesday night that several animals were rescued and reunited with their humans.

“We recovered 6 cats, 2 snakes, and 1 lizard, which were all the pets reported on our form that weren’t in one of the apartments where the building collapsed,” the non-profit announced on Tuesday night. “We’ve already reunited 4 cats, the 2 snakes, and the lizard with their owners, and the other two will be reunited shortly!”

Five tenants are still unaccounted for, at least two of them are believed to be trapped in the wreckage.

[1 June 2023 10:30 · Maroosha Muzaffar]

Surviving tenant of Iowa collapsed building reveals wife lost leg in rescue

A survivor of the partially collapsed building in Davenport, Iowa, has revealed her wife had her leg amputated by rescuers trying to save her.

Lexus and Quanishia Berry were taking pictures of a crack between a wall and the bathroom doorway when the rear part of their building came down around 5pm on Sunday. Lexus was standing on a part of the structure that didn’t collapse, but in a matter of seconds, her wife and two cats disappeared under the rubble.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, first responders worked tirelessly to evacuate tenants, initially rescuing seven people from the wreckage. For the first 12 hours that authorities were unable to locate Quanishia, her wife stayed in the area, anxiously waiting for updates and holding onto hope that Quanishia had survived the ordeal.

On Monday morning, search crews finally located Quanishia, who was trapped under debris.

[1 June 2023 11:00 · Andrea Blanco]

IN PICTURES: Horror collapse in Davenport, Iowa, as five still unaccounted for

Building Collapse Iowa (AP)

Building Collapse Iowa (AP)

Building Collapse Iowa (AP)

Un bombero trepa entre los escombros del edificio derrumbado (AP)

[1 June 2023 11:30 · Maroosha Muzaffar]

Officers weigh further searches of precarious building

Officials are accessing whether further searches are possible as the wreckage poses a significant safety risk for crews who may enter, Davenport Fire Marshal Jim Morris said.

“You can’t run up to a pile of bricks and rocks and just start throwing things off – as much as we want to,” Mr Morris said at Tuesday’s news conference.

“It’s not that we don’t want to do this. It’s the fact that we have to do it in a safe manner. … We’re going to reevaluate how safe we can be in order to get in there and not currently make the situation any worse.”

[1 June 2023 12:00 · Andrea Blanco]

Iowa officials face a gruelling decision

Experts have said the structure built in the 1900s is extremely unstable. Because of the layout of the building, with the rear brick part holding together much of the steel structure, officials said there were likely no void spaces where trapped victims could have taken shelter.

Authorities said its brittle condition is worsening with time and the possibility of another collapse is now imminent.

“We want to get everyone out, we want to do it right now,” Fire Marshall Jim Morris said as he broke down in tears at Tuesday’s press conference. “So understand, it’s not that we don’t want to do this ... it’s that we have to do it in a safe manner.”

[1 June 2023 12:30 · Maroosha Muzaffar]

ICYMI: Cats, snakes and lizard rescued from the wreckage

The Humane Society of Scott County announced on Tuesday night that several animals were rescued and reunited with their humans.

“We recovered 6 cats, 2 snakes, and 1 lizard, which were all the pets reported on our form that weren’t in one of the apartments where the building collapsed,” the non-profit announced on Tuesday night. “We’ve already reunited 4 cats, the 2 snakes, and the lizard with their owners, and the other two will be reunited shortly!”

Five tenants are still unaccounted for, at least two of them are believed to be trapped in the wreckage.