By Scott McFetridge and Hannah Fingerhut — The Associated Press
The Davenport (Iowa) Police Department reported Monday that the bodies of three people who were missing after the May 28 collapse of a six-story apartment building have been recovered and "there is no information at this time that there are more people" under the rubble.
The three bodies of missing people were recovered after authorities said no one else was expected to be found alive under the rubble. On Saturday, the bodies of Branden Colvin Sr., 42, were found; on Sunday, Ryan Hitchcock, 51; and on Monday, that of Daniel Prien, 60.
City officials said the three were "most likely" in the building "at the time of the collapse." But searching for them has proved extremely dangerous: the wreckage of the building was in constant motion in the first 24 to 36 hours after the collapse, putting rescuers in grave danger.
[This is how a woman rescued from partially collapsed building in Iowa was able to call for help]
"The city had notice after notice"
Dayna Feuerbach, one of the residents injured in the collapse, sued the city of Davenport and the building's current and former owners on Monday, claiming they knew of the deteriorating conditions but failed to warn its occupants.
The owner of the building that collapsed in Iowa is summoned to a court
May 31, 202300:27
"The city had notice after notice," attorney Jeffrey Goodman told The Associated Press, calling it a common trend in the major structural collapses he's seen. "They had a responsibility to make sure the safety of citizens came first. It's very clear he didn't," he said.
A structural engineer's report issued days before the collapse indicated that a wall of the century-old building was at imminent risk of collapsing. And documents released by the city show city officials and the building's owner had been warned for months that some parts of the building were unstable.
Tenants have also complained to the city in recent years about a number of problems they say were ignored by property managers, including a lack of heat or hot water for weeks or even months at a time, as well as mold and water leaks from roofs and bathrooms. Although city officials tried to address some complaints and gave eviction orders to individual apartments, a broader evacuation was never ordered, records show.
Partial view of the building that collapsed in Davenport, Iowa. Photo June 3, 2023.Getty Images
Current and former residents told The Associated Press of interior cracks in the wall that collapsed, which building management was told.
Andrew Wold, the building's owner, issued a statement May 30 saying his "thoughts and prayers are with the tenants." He has since made no further statement, and attempts to contact him, his company and a man believed to be his lawyer have been unsuccessful. The mayor and other officials say they have had no contact with the owner since the collapse.
County records show Davenport Hotel L.L.C. purchased the building in 2021 for $4.2 million.