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Jan 27, 2024

Bodies of three men recovered from Iowa apartment collapse site a week after it toppled

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The bodies of three men who were missing following the partial collapse of an apartment building in Davenport, Iowa, have been discovered a week after part of the old structure toppled over, authorities said Monday.

The remains of Daniel Prien, 60, were discovered within the debris early Monday, whereas those of Ryan Hitchcock, 51, were found Sunday, Davenport Police Chief Jeff Bladel said, according to CNN.

Branden Colvin Sr., 42, was found dead on Saturday, the same day his son Branden Colvin Jr. graduated from high school.

"We don't have any other information at this time that there are any additional people missing," Bladel said Monday.

The discovery of Colvin's body came a day after authorities said the search for survivors had been completed, with attention turning to shoring up the structure so recovery efforts could begin.

The remains of the six-story apartment building were constantly in motion in the first 24 to 36 hours after it collapsed on May 28, posing a danger to rescue workers as the building shifted every time they entered to try to search for survivors.

Last week, Mayor Mike Matson said the debris pile "could be a place of rest for some of the unaccounted."

As efforts to bring down the rest of the building got underway, residents and locals have begun questioning why neither the building's owner nor city officials warned anyone about the potential danger.

A structural engineer's report issued just days before the collapse indicated a wall of the century-old building was at imminent risk of crumbling, and documents released by the city show that officials were warned months earlier that parts of the building were unstable.

Records also show that tenants complained to city officials about a host of issues with the building and were ignored. Residents endured no heat or hot water for months at a time, mold and water leakage from ceilings and toilets.

While vacate orders were given to some individual apartments, a broader evacuation order was never issued.

As officials announced news of the discovery, residents and their families filed the first lawsuit in the collapse Monday.

In the suit, tenant Dayna Feuerbach is accusing the city of Davenport and the building's current and former owners of knowing of the structure's deteriorating conditions and failing to warn residents of the risk.

The lawsuit alleges multiple counts of negligence and seeks unspecified damages. It also notes that additional suits are likely.

"The city had warning after warning," attorney Jeffrey Goodman said in an interview with the Associated Press.

Goodman said this is a common trend in major structural collapses, noting that city officials and the building's owner "had the responsibility to make sure that the safety of the citizens comes first."

"It is very clear that the city of Davenport didn't do that," Goodman added.

Andrew Wold, the building's owner, released a statement dated May 30 saying "our thoughts and prayers are with our tenants."

County records show Davenport Hotel L.L.C. acquired the building in a 2021 deal worth $4.2 million.