Two believed trapped after Davenport, Iowa building collapse

A partially collapsed six-story apartment block in Davenport, Iowa on 29 May
A partially collapsed six-story apartment block in Davenport, Iowa on 29 May

Officials believe two people are possibly still alive in the rubble of a building in Davenport, Iowa, nearly 48 hours after it partially collapsed.

Five people remain unaccounted for after the collapse, the city's mayor said, with no deaths so far reported.

On Monday, a 52-year-old woman was rescued from the six-storey building after hiding under a sofa, her family told NBC News.

Nine people have been rescued since Sunday's incident, according to NBC.

Local officials believe the building is at risk of collapsing entirely and are looking at ways to bring the rest of it down safely to prevent any more injuries.

"You can't run up to a pile of rocks and start pulling things off," Davenport Fire Marshal Jim Morris said at a news conference on Tuesday. "There are a lot of things we have to factor".

Seven were rescued from multiple floors immediately after its collapse on Sunday, while twelve were able to walk out of the building on their own, the city's fire chief Michael Carlsten said earlier.

An eighth person was rescued earlier on Monday and was taken to hospital to be treated for her injuries, Mr Carlsten added.

Lisa Brooks, 52, was found after local newspaper the Quad City Times reported that authorities had sent out a press release stating that the demolition of the building was expected to start on Tuesday.

She was able to call for help after the phone in the unit she was stuck in started working again, relatives said.

A photo showing the destruction of the building in Davenport
Local officials believe the building is at risk of collapsing entirely

Mr Morris said Tuesday that state experts are on site to determine the best course of action. He added that the building could come down "20 minutes after we leave here".

Some people gathered outside the building - which housed 84 apartments and businesses - on Monday to protest apparent moves to demolish it, citing worries that there may be people who could still be alive and trapped in the building. Some people planned to protest again on Tuesday.

At the news conference on Tuesday, April Hitchcock, whose brother Ryan is among those possibly still trapped inside, said she was "mortified" that protesters would try avoid the demolition.

"We do not want a full on demo or delay," she said. "It is a no-win situation. We just want to recover our family."

The city said on Monday evening that after "extensive rescue operations, no confirmed viable signs of life" have been found, adding that the police had also been working to make contact with and account for all the individuals known to have been residents in the building at the time of its collapse. Its most recent update gave no more information on whether they had all been contacted.

The cause of the building's collapse remains unclear, but a gas leak and substantial water damage have been discovered, authorities said.