First responders found the bodies of three remaining missing men in the rubble of a partially collapsed apartment building in Davenport, Iowa, according to authorities.
About a week after the partial collapse on Sunday, May 28, searchers recovered the bodies of Branden Colvin Sr., 42, Ryan Hitchcock, 51, and Daniel Prien, 60, Davenport Police Chief Jeffery Bladel said on Monday, as reported by the Associated Press.
City officials said earlier that the three men had a “high probability of being home at the time of the collapse.” Searching for the men had proven dangerous: the AP report noted that the six-story building was constantly in motion the first 24 to 36 hours after the collapse, putting rescuers at great risk.
Davenport officials faced the dilemma of whether to demolish the building due to hazards posed to the community or to continue the search for the bodies and possibly survivors in what remained of the frail building. The building has not been demolished as of Monday, but the officials plan to “quickly stage the site for tear down,” the AP reported.
Eight survivors were rescued from the building in the 48-hour period following the collapse, with one needing a leg amputation to free her from the rubble. Bladel said officials do not believe anyone else is missing, following a ninth rescue on the night of Monday, May 31st.
Following the collapse, documents released by the city revealed that the building was the subject of numerous complaints both to the owner, Davenport Hotel, LLC, and the City of Davenport. One resident, Dayna Feuerbach, sued the city and apartment owner Monday, alleging multiple counts of negligence.
“The city had warning after warning,” attorney Jeffrey Goodman told the AP. “They 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.”
Davenport Mayor Mike Matson expressed remorse on Thursday — before the bodies were found. “Do I have regrets about this tragedy and about people potentially losing their lives? Hell yeah,” Matson said. “Do I think about this every moment? Hell yeah. I have regrets about a lot of things. Believe me, we’re going to look at that.”
The city has sought enforcement against the owner of Davenport Hotel Andrew Wold for failure to maintain the property “in a safe, sanitary, and structurally sound condition” before the collapse. The city is seeking a $300 fine plus $95 in court fees.