Authorities confirmed that there were no reported fatalities and no individuals known to be trapped following the partial collapse of a six-story apartment building in Davenport, an eastern Iowa city.

Davenport Fire Chief Michael Carlsten stated in a news conference on Monday that rescue workers had conducted searches throughout the night, successfully rescuing one person from the building, the Associated Press reported.

This brings the total number of people rescued by fire officials to eight, while an additional 12 individuals were escorted out by fire crews during the initial response to the collapse on Sunday evening.

Chief Carlsten assured that there are no known individuals trapped within the facility. The exact number and details of injuries sustained have not been released, but he did mention that the person rescued overnight was receiving medical treatment in the hospital.

Throughout the night, rescue teams, including K-9 units, remained inside the building, diligently working to search for any other potential survivors.

Davenport Mayor Mike Matson expressed his gratitude to the responders who promptly carried out their duties in the face of this tragedy, stating, “When something like this happens here, and tragedy strikes, our responders immediately do their work and their job, and I can’t thank them enough.”

The incident unfolded when rescue teams were alerted to the scene shortly before 5 p.m. on Sunday. Chief Carlsten explained that the back portion of the apartment complex had collapsed and separated from the rest of the building, which comprises apartments on the upper floors and businesses on the ground level.

Authorities also discovered a gas leak subsequent to the collapse, while water had seeped through multiple floors of the structure.

Written by staff