The cause of the building collapse in Devonport was not immediately known but civic officials have launched an investigation.
A rescue operation was launched after part of a six-storey building collapsed in Davenport in the US state of Iowa on Sunday. According to NBC News, seven people are feared buried under the debris and many others are injured. Rescue operations continued through Sunday night, the outlet quoted city officials as saying at a news conference. Davenport Fire Chief Mike Carlston said it was also feared gas and water may have leaked from the apartment when the building collapsed just before 5 p.m.
“Part of the previous building had actually collapsed, separated from the building,” he said.
NBC News quoted Mr. Carlston as saying that more than a dozen people received help from first responders as soon as they left the building.
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Apartment building collapse in Davenport Iowa🙏🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/tIeYxx02zD
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Mayor Mike Mattson did not rule out possible deaths in the incident. “There are people who are unaccounted for,” said Mr. Matson.
The New York Post said the rear portion of the six-story apartment complex collapsed and was separated from the building, which has apartments on the upper floors and businesses on the ground level.
Police in Davenport advised locals to stay away from the downtown area after the accident.
The fire department said a reunion area set up at St. Anthony’s Church on Main Street was being serviced by Red Cross personnel, according to a report in the New York Post.
The cause of the building collapse was not immediately known but the civic authorities have launched an investigation.
Rich Oswald, director of development and neighborhood services for the city of Davenport, told the New York Post that work was being done on the building’s exterior.