A fanatic search operation is underway as several people have gone missing after a massive section of a six-story apartment building collapsed in Davenport, Iowa, on Sunday. It was not immediately clear if there were any deaths or how many people are missing or trapped in the building.
Rescue workers were seen feverishly searching through the rubble at the building on Main Street in Davenport from Sunday night into Monday. Mayor of Davenport Mike Matsen said that "several people are unaccounted for." However, he did not provide a precise figure or range. The building collapsed just around 5 pm, according to Davenport fire chief Mike Carlsten.
Living in Hell
It was not immediately clear what caused the collapse. Firefighters were able to save seven people, while more than a dozen others needed to be guided out of the building as they were "self-evacuating," Carlsten said.
Specialized rescue teams have been called in to assist with the search of the debris. Crews would continue searching throughout the night, Carlsten said.
According to eyewitnesses, residents desperately tried to flee for their lives as a massive portion of the apartment came down crushing on the street.
"We both grab out cats, she grabbed one, I grabbed one, got to the door," Lexus Berry said about trying to get to safety with his wife Quanisha White-Berry.
"I watched her, and everything just fell down and everything fell on top of me, and I barely made it out the door."
"I got out, but there was nothing left but where I was standing at. Everything else was gone."
According to reports, building residents had long complained about the need for maintenance. The building had licenses to conduct the repairs, according to city officials, at the time of the collapse.
As the structure collapsed on Sunday night, Tadd Machavec said he heard screaming.
"There was a lot of screams, a lot of cries, a lot of people saying "help" when the building came down," Machavec told the Associated Press. "But that did not last — two or three minutes and then the whole area was silent.
"I'm hoping and praying the screams that I heard were not people inside of it."
Compromising with Death
It remains unclear what caused the collapse of the structure on Main Street, which held around 80 flats. Firefighters on the site, however, discovered a "large natural gas leak" and water dripping from every floor.
Robert Robinson, who lived on the second level of the complex, had just come inside after going outside for a smoke.
"When we started to go back in the lights went out," Robinson. "All of a sudden everybody started running out saying the building collapsed. I´m glad we came down when we did."
Those who were inside the structure when it fell, sustained injuries, although the severity of those injuries is unknown. Those who survived are fanatically looking for overnight accommodations.
First responders claim that the search for survivors will be difficult because there have been secondary collapses.
"Our big thing is the stability of the building. We're not actually sure how stable the building is," Carlsten said.
"Even while we were on the scene, we did have multiple secondary drops of debris coming from that structure. We want to make sure that all of our first responders are able to process through in a safe manner,' he continued. 'But we still want to get through there as quickly as possible."
Mayor Mike Matson also vowed to focus on rescue operations while reasserting that the apartment building is currently a scene of ongoing crime. "We will continue to work, continue to evaluate, with the whole purpose of trying to find people and trying to get them out," he said.
The Quad City Times was informed by several current and previous residents that the building had problems in the past.
According to county assessors' records, the building received close to 20 permits in 2022, most of which were for plumbing or electrical issues.
