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Davenport, Iowa (Associated Press) — The Davenport, Iowa City Police Chief pulled three Iowa men from the site of a collapsed six-story apartment building about a week after part of the 100-year-old building collapsed to the ground. It was announced that the body had been removed. Monday.
“At this time, we have no information that more people are missing,” Chief Jeff Bradell said.
Meanwhile, residents of the building began filing lawsuits. One of the lawsuits filed Monday by Dana Feuerbach accuses the city and the current and former owners of the building of knowing the situation was deteriorating and failing to warn residents of the danger. A second lawsuit filed by Mildred Harrington against the building owner alone makes similar allegations.
There are multiple allegations of negligence in Mr. Feuerbach’s lawsuit, and both lawsuits seek unspecified damages.
“The city has had warning after warning,” Feuerbach’s attorney, Jeffrey Goodman, told The Associated Press. He said it’s a common trend in large-scale structural collapses he’s seen. “They had a responsibility to put public safety first. Clearly the City of Davenport didn’t do that.”
City documents released last week and cited in the lawsuit indicate concerns over the integrity of parts of the building that have been communicated to the city and owner Andrew Wald over the months.
A recording of a 911 call made the day before the partial collapse revealed that a director of a local organization affiliated with the chamber of commerce had reported contractors’ concerns about the wall’s integrity. Firefighters arrived at the scene and responded in less than five minutes, according to dispatch records.
The police chief said the body of Branden Colvin Sr. was recovered on Saturday. Ryan Hitchcock’s body was recovered on Sunday and Daniel Prien’s body was recovered early Monday morning. City officials previously said Colvin, 42, said: Hitchcock, 51 years old. and Prien, 60. “It is likely that he was at his home at the time of the collapse.”
The discovery came after authorities said the search for survivors was complete.wreckage of an apartment It was in constant motion for the first 24 to 36 hours after it collapsed on May 28, putting rescue workers in great danger. and pulled out part of the pile of rubble.
Davenport officials said they were consulting with experts on how to safely demolish the remaining structures. City fire marshals earlier said they wouldn’t use explosives because of their proximity to other buildings in downtown Davenport’s busy street.
Mayor Mike Matson He said last week that any complaints about the rescue and recovery process should be directed to him, not first responders.
Mr. Matson said Monday that neither he nor other city officials have been in contact with the building owner, Andrew Wald.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Tennant,” Waldo released a statement on May 30. He has not issued a statement since, and attempts to contact him, his company, and the man who is believed to be his lawyer have been unsuccessful.
Davenport Hotels LLC acquired the building in 2021 with a contract valued at $4.2 million, according to county records.
Bradell said the Davenport Fire and Security Service has launched an investigation into the building collapse with the help of the State Criminal Investigation Service, the Davenport Police Department and the Coroner’s Office.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds toured the site Monday morning and later tweeted that the state was working with city officials to provide support and resources. “Thank you to the first responders who risked their lives to help their communities,” she wrote.
The building was originally built as a hotel in 1907 and has been converted into approximately 80 apartments housing approximately 50 people.
Earlier, the state gave $5,000 to displaced people who met income requirements, and the city gave $6,000 to displaced people. On Monday, the governor also waived fees for tenants who needed to renew their driver’s licenses.
Scott County Prosecutor Kelly Cunningham said on Friday that an independent inquiry must be conducted into the cause of the building’s structural deficiencies and that it is now within the city’s jurisdiction, presuming criminal prosecution is appropriate. warned against doing
Unresolved questions include why neither the owners nor city officials warned residents of the potential danger. A structural engineer’s report released days before the collapse showed the walls of the 100-year-old building were in imminent danger of collapse.
The lawsuit, filed Monday, also names two companies, including a firm of engineers Waldo hired to assess and work on the building. The lawsuit alleges that all parties were “aware of the imminent danger facing residents, yet failed to warn residents that their lives were in danger, and allowed the building to deteriorate.” .
In particular, the engineering firm “has a clear responsibility to sound the alarm in an emergency and to do whatever it takes to ensure that this building is evacuated for safety,” Goodman said. “Unfortunately, we see their role in this tragedy as central.”
Tenants have also filed complaints with the city in recent years about a number of issues that property managers allegedly ignored. These included no heating or hot water for weeks or even months at a time, as well as mold and water leaks from ceilings and toilets. City officials attempted to address some complaints and issued eviction orders to individual apartments, but no broad evacuation orders were issued, according to records.
Current and former residents told The Associated Press that the walls cracked and eventually collapsed and were reported to building management. A woman whose apartment fell into a huge pile of rubble had to amputate her leg to save her.
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McFetridge and Fingerhat reported from Des Moines.
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