Iowa building collapse - latest: Three still missing after latest Davenport rescue effort

Three men – Ryan Hitchcock, Branden Colvin and Daniel Prien – are still believed to be trapped under the wreckage of the residential building that collapsed in Davenport, Iowa, earlier this week, with the latest search and rescue efforts failing to find them on Thursday.

A contractor has meanwhile said he warned the owner of the apartment complex in question that the disaster was imminent.

Speaking to The Quad-Cities Times, Ryan Shaffer, co-owner of local firm RA Masonry, said he was working on another building close to the six-storey 324 Main Street building when he was approached by the latter property’s owner, Andrew Wold, about potential work, only for Mr Wold to walk away saying the quote was too high.

“He wanted to cut the cost by cutting out the shoring and supporting of the building," Mr Shaffer said.

“I said, ‘If we don’t do it this way exactly, I’m not putting my guys in there. Somebody is going to die.’”

Mr Wold appears to have subsequently shopped around for a cheaper firm to carry out the work and found an alternative business that would do it for less, as reflected by city records.

Key Points

• Three residents still missing as search efforts continue

• Contractor says he warned Davenport building owner of likely collapse

• Family of woman rescued from Iowa building collapse reveal how screams saved her from demolition

• Residents say building was known to have issues: ‘Our bathroom caved in December'

• Gas leak noted as possible cause as fire chief warns of secondary collapse

Davenport mayor says ‘hell yeah’ to having regrets

14:30 , Megan Sheets

Facing persistent scrutiny over the collapse of a building in his city, Davenport Mayor Mike Matson heartily confirmed that he has regrets over the situation.

“Do I have regrets about this tragedy and about people potentially losing their lives? Hell yeah. Do I think about this every moment? Hell yeah,” Mr Matson told reporters on Thursday. “I have regrets about a lot of things. Believe me, we’re going to look at that.”

His comments came as three men remain missing more than four days after the collapse.

City officials have said they didn’t order an evacuation of the apartment building prior to the collapse because an engineer had assured it was safe - despite repeated complaints from tenants and visible damage on the structure’s exterior.

Man arrested for trespassing at collapse site

13:58 , Megan Sheets

A man was arrested late Thursday for trespassing at the site of the collapsed Davenport apartment building.

News 8 captured video of 49-year-old Laverne Clark being escorted from the scene as he repeatedly yelled: “For trying to save a life?”

Jail records indicate he is facing misdemeanor charges of trespass and harassment.

The collapse site has seen frequent protests this week over the city’s handling of rescue efforts as three men remain unaccounted for.

WATCH: Ninth person rescued from wreckage of Iowa building collapse

13:00 , Andrea Blanco

Tenant who had moved into building 24 hours before collapse is reunited with her cat LuLu

12:00 , Andrea Blanco

Elizabeth Pruitt, an intern at The Quad-Cities Times, had moved into The Davenport less than 24 hours before its collapse. Ms Pruitt, originally from Missouri, saw the listing online, said she felt the images she saw in the online listings and on a videocall with the property management were not how the building really looked inside.

“The first thing I notice when I walk in the building is how gross it is, how unclean it is. And I don’t mean it hasn’t been cleaned in a month. It truly seems like it hasn’t been cleaned in years,” she told the Times.

Ms Pruitt, who had brought her cat Lulu in the move, left to go to Target on Sunday evening. When she returned, the rear part of her building was gone.

“I said, ‘That’s my building.’ And I just break down. I rushed to the cop that’s near me, and I’m trying to get information and he doesn’t tell me anything. He just tells me a building collapsed,” Ms Pruitt said. “I tell him, ‘That’s my apartment. My stuff’s inside. My cat’s inside.’ And he just says, ‘Well I can’t let you in. Nobody’s going in.’”

Her biggest worry was Lulu, Ms Pruitt said. And for nearly 48 hours, she anxiously waited for updates until a coworker informed her the Humane Society of Scott County had rescued her.

“All I read was, ‘We have Lulu,’ and I cried,” she said.

Ms Pruitt is receiving donations through a GoFundMe to cover her losses.

Owner of collapsed Iowa building faces $300 fine for ‘failing to keep structure safe’

11:00 , Andrea Blanco

The cause of the collapse has not been determined but tenants had long complained about several issues with the building.

Owner of collapsed Iowa building faces $300 fine for ‘failing to keep structure safe’

Family of woman rescued from Iowa building collapse reveal how screams saved her from demolition

10:00 , Andrea Blanco

Lisa Brooks’ family tell The Independent: ‘She had passed out under the couch and the only reason she woke up is because we were yelling her name.’

Family of woman rescued from Iowa building collapse reveal how screams saved her

Shocking photos reveal cracks inside Iowa apartment building before horror collapse

09:00 , Andrea Blanco

Resident Aurea Monet had a lucky escape, moving out just eight weeks before the Davenport apartment block partially collapsed on Sunday.

Shocking photos show cracks inside Iowa apartment building before horror collapse

Building could become ‘a place of rest for some of the unaccounted,’ mayor says

08:00 , Andrea Blanco

Built as a hotel, the building had more recently been used as apartments, and tenants had been allowed to remain even as bricks began falling from the building.

Mayor Mike Matson confirmed at a news conference Tuesday that not all the residents were accounted for, and officials said immediate demolition was never intended, but they did want to quickly stage the site for the tear-down. The woman’s rescue prompted officials to see if they could safely enter and ensure others weren’t inside.

“This could be a place of rest for some of the unaccounted,” Matson said. The city is trying to determine how to bring down what remains of the building while maintaining the dignity of people who may have been killed, he said.

Davenport residents demand rescue teams keep searching collapsed building for survivors

07:00 , Joe Sommerlad

Davenport residents have demanded rescue teams keep searching collapsed building for survivors as the threat of demolition looms.

More than 36 hours after the rear section of a six-storey apartment complex on 324 Main Street in Iowa collapsed, Davenport mayor Mike Matson revealed that local police had been unable to locate five residents.

Two of the five have since been safely located, leaving three men – Ryan Hitchcock, Branden Colvin and Daniel Prien – still unaccounted for.

Experts said the structure, built in the 1900s, is extremely unstable because of the layout of the building, with the rear brick part holding together much of the steel structure.

What caused the collapse?

06:00 , Andrea Blanco

The cause of the collapse has not been determined, officials said. After responding to the scene, authorities found a gas leak after the collapse and water also had leaked throughout the floors of the structure.

Rich Oswald, City of Davenport director of development and neighbourhood services, said that work was being done on the building’s exterior after reports of bricks falling from the building last week.

WATCH: Video shows dramatic aftermath of building collapse in Iowa

05:00 , Andrea Blanco

'The tenants told us the building was going to collapse’

04:00 , Andrea Blanco

Jennifer Smith, whose business is located in the building, said she first heard about the explosion from her husband, who works for Mid-American Energy.

“He was on call and got called in for a building explosion downtown. We had no idea it was our building,” Ms Smith told the Quad-City Times. “It sounds bad, but we have been calling the city and giving complaints since December. Our bathroom caved in December.”

Emergency crews work the scene of a partial apartment building collapse in Davenport, Iowa

Ms Smith said water damage has been apparent since they moved into their space in the winter. Her company’s co-owner, Deonte Mack, said fire crews were in the building as recently as Thursday for an inspection.

“The tenants told us the building was going to collapse,” Ms Smith said.

ICYMI: Cats, snakes and lizard rescued from the wreckage

03:00 , Andrea Blanco

The Humane Society of Scott County announced on Tuesday night that several animals were rescued and reunited with their humans.

“We recovered 6 cats, 2 snakes, and 1 lizard, which were all the pets reported on our form that weren’t in one of the apartments where the building collapsed,” the non-profit announced on Tuesday night. “We’ve already reunited 4 cats, the 2 snakes, and the lizard with their owners, and the other two will be reunited shortly!”

Five tenants are still unaccounted for, at least two of them are believed to be trapped in the wreckage.

Humane Society of Scott County

Surviving tenant of Iowa collapsed building reveals wife lost leg in rescue

02:00 , Andrea Blanco

A survivor of the partially collapsed building in Davenport, Iowa, has revealed her wife had her leg amputated by rescuers trying to save her.

Lexus and Quanishia Berry were taking pictures of a crack between a wall and the bathroom doorway when the rear part of their building came down around 5pm on Sunday.

Lexus was standing on a part of the structure that didn’t collapse, but in a matter of seconds, her wife and two cats disappeared under the rubble.

Read the full story:

Surviving tenant of Iowa collapsed building reveals wife lost leg in rescue

Iowa officials say ‘computer glitch’ changed inspection record for collapsed Davenport building

01:00 , Andrea Blanco

When permit records for an Iowa building that collapsed this past weekend were mysteriously changed after the tragedy, city officials blamed a “computer glitch”.

Skeptical members of the community aren’t convinced it was a mistake.

Read more:

Officials say ‘computer glitch’ changed inspection record for collapsed Iowa building

Iowa officials laid plans to demolish a collapsed building. Then they admitted people could still be trapped

Friday 2 June 2023 00:00 , Andrea Blanco

Search efforts have been called off but at least two residents of the building complex remain unaccounted for, Andrea Blanco reports.

Officials planned to demolish a collapsed Iowa building. Are survivors still trapped?

City faces backlash after demolition announced

Thursday 1 June 2023 22:44 , Andrea Blanco

The city has been criticized by some who said it was moving too quickly toward demolishing the 116-year-old brick and steel structure after it partially collapsed, with initial plans to start the process as early as Tuesday morning.

After one woman was found alive in an apartment on Monday night, protesters showed up to the site, holding signs that said “Find Them First” and “Who is in the Rubble?” Some used a megaphone to shout out names of residents.

The building had 53 tenants in about 80 units, the police chief said.

WATCH: Ninth person rescued from wreckage of Iowa building collapse

Thursday 1 June 2023 22:30 , Andrea Blanco

Iowa officials face a grueling decision

Thursday 1 June 2023 22:00 , Andrea Blanco

Experts have said the structure built in the 1900s is extremely unstable. Because of the layout of the building, with the rear brick part holding together much of the steel structure, officials said there were likely no void spaces where trapped victims could have taken shelter.

Authorities said its brittle condition is worsening with time and the possibility of another collapse is now imminent.

“We want to get everyone out, we want to do it right now,” Mr Morris said as he broke down in tears at Tuesday’s press conference. “So understand, it’s not that we don’t want to do this ... it’s that we have to do it in a safe manner.”

Structure of collapsed building becomes more brittle as time passes, experts say

Thursday 1 June 2023 21:32 , Andrea Blanco

Experts said the structure, built in the 1900s is extremely unstable. Because of the layout of the building, with the rear brick part holding together much of the steal structure, officials said there were likely no void spaces where trapped victims could have shielded.

Authorities said its brittle condition is worsening with time and the possibility of another collapse is now imminent.

Owner of collapsed Iowa building faces $300 fine for ‘failing to keep structure safe’

Thursday 1 June 2023 20:59 , Andrea Blanco

The owner of a building that collapsed earlier this week in Davenport, Iowa, is facing a $300 fine for “failing to keep the structure safe.”

Court records reviewed by The Independent on Wednesday show that Andrew Wold is listed as a defendant in a civil enforcement action brought by the City of Davenport on Tuesday, two days after Mr Wold’s six-storey building on 324 Main Street collapsed.

According to WQAD, Mr Wold now faces a $300 fine stemming from the enforcement for reportedly failing to keep the building in “safe, sanitary and structurally sound condition.”

Read more:

Owner of collapsed Iowa building faces $300 fine for ‘failing to keep structure safe’

Tenant who had moved into building 24 hours before collapse is reunited with her cat LuLu

Thursday 1 June 2023 19:58 , Andrea Blanco

Photography intern reunited with cat after collapse

Elizabeth Pruitt, an intern at The Quad-Cities Times, had moved into The Davenport less than 24 hours before its collapse. Ms Pruitt, originally from Missouri, saw the listing online, said she felt the images she saw in the online listings and on a videocall with the property management were not how the building really looked inside.

“The first thing I notice when I walk in the building is how gross it is, how unclean it is. And I don’t mean it hasn’t been cleaned in a month. It truly seems like it hasn’t been cleaned in years,” she told the Times.

Ms Pruitt, who had brought her cat Lulu in the move, left to go to Target on Sunday evening. When she returned, the rear part of her building was gone.

“I said, ‘That’s my building.’ And I just break down. I rushed to the cop that’s near me, and I’m trying to get information and he doesn’t tell me anything. He just tells me a building collapsed,” Ms Pruitt said. “I tell him, ‘That’s my apartment. My stuff’s inside. My cat’s inside.’ And he just says, ‘Well I can’t let you in. Nobody’s going in.’”

Her biggest worry was Lulu, Ms Pruitt said. And for nearly 48 hours, she anxiously waited for updates until a coworker informed her the Humane Society of Scott County had rescued her.

“All I read was, ‘We have Lulu,’ and I cried,” she said.

Ms Pruitt is receiving donations through a GoFundMe to cover her losses.

Contractor reveals harrowing warnings before Iowa building collapse: ‘Get away, you’re going to die’

Thursday 1 June 2023 19:09 , Andrea Blanco

A new alarming claim has emerged in the Iowa building collapse disaster, with a contractor revealing he warned that the Davenport structure’s instability could prove deadly in the days before it came crashing down.

Ryan Shaffer, the owner of a local masonry company, told The Quad-Cities Times that he was approached by the building’s owner Andrew Wold in February about providing work to shore up the structure - which had reportedly been the subject of many complaints from tenants in the months prior - during ongoing repairs.

Contractor reveals dire warnings before Iowa building collapse: ‘You’re going to die’

WATCH: Davenport residents demand rescue teams keep searching collapsed building for survivors

Thursday 1 June 2023 18:30 , Andrea Blanco

Building owner named as defendant in civil enforcement action

Thursday 1 June 2023 17:56 , Andrea Blanco

The city has been in contact with the building owner Andrew Wold, Mr Morris said on Tuesday.

State agencies are coordinating what agency will take the lead in the investigation but no criminal charges have been filed yet.

Iowa court records reviewed by The Independent on Wednesday show that Mr Wold and Davenport Hotel LLC are listed as defendants in a civil enforcement action brought by the City of Davenport on 30 May.

Mr Wold was given a $300 fine for failing to keep the building “safe, sanitary and structurally sound condition,” WQAD reports.

Two tenants who were unaccounted for are located

Thursday 1 June 2023 17:00 , Andrea Blanco

Three residents of an Iowa apartment building that partially collapsed on Sunday are still unaccounted for, Davenport Police Chief Jeff Bladel said Thursday.

Earlier this week, authorities said five people were missing, but Bladel said during a Thursday morning media briefing that two of them have since been contacted and are safe. One moved out a month ago and was found in Texas, and the other was found locally.

The six-story building partially collapsed shortly before 5 p.m. Sunday. The city has since released documents, including structural engineering reports, that show the building’s owner was told that patches of the brick façade were separating from the building.

Officers weigh further searches of precarious building

Thursday 1 June 2023 16:45 , Andrea Blanco

Officials are accessing whether further searches are possible as the wreckage poses a significant safety risk for crews who may enter, Davenport Fire Marshal Jim Morris said.

“You can’t run up to a pile of bricks and rocks and just start throwing things off – as much as we want to,” Mr Morris said at Tuesday’s news conference.

“It’s not that we don’t want to do this. It’s the fact that we have to do it in a safe manner. … We’re going to reevaluate how safe we can be in order to get in there and not currently make the situation any worse.”

WATCH: Ninth person rescued from wreckage of Iowa building collapse

Thursday 1 June 2023 16:00 , Andrea Blanco

Surviving tenant of Iowa collapsed building reveals wife lost leg in rescue

Thursday 1 June 2023 15:30 , Andrea Blanco

A survivor of the partially collapsed building in Davenport, Iowa, has revealed her wife had her leg amputated by rescuers trying to save her.

Lexus and Quanishia Berry were taking pictures of a crack between a wall and the bathroom doorway when the rear part of their building came down around 5pm on Sunday. Lexus was standing on a part of the structure that didn’t collapse, but in a matter of seconds, her wife and two cats disappeared under the rubble.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, first responders worked tirelessly to evacuate tenants, initially rescuing seven people from the wreckage. For the first 12 hours that authorities were unable to locate Quanishia, her wife stayed in the area, anxiously waiting for updates and holding onto hope that Quanishia had survived the ordeal.

On Monday morning, search crews finally located Quanishia, who was trapped under debris.

Surviving tenant of Iowa collapsed building reveals wife lost leg in rescue

Photography intern reunited with cat after collapse

Thursday 1 June 2023 15:05 , Andrea Blanco

Elizabeth Pruitt, an intern at The Quad-Cities Times, had moved into The Davenport less than 24 hours before its collapse. Ms Pruitt, originally from Missouri, saw the listing online, said she felt the images she saw in the online listings and on a videocall with the property management were not how the building really looked inside.

“The first thing I notice when I walk in the building is how gross it is, how unclean it is. And I don’t mean it hasn’t been cleaned in a month. It truly seems like it hasn’t been cleaned in years,” she told the Times.

Ms Pruitt, who had brought her cat Lulu in the move, left to go to Target on Sunday evening. When she returned, the rear part of her building was gone.

“I said, ‘That’s my building.’ And I just break down. I rushed to the cop that’s near me, and I’m trying to get information and he doesn’t tell me anything. He just tells me a building collapsed,” Ms Pruitt said. “I tell him, ‘That’s my apartment. My stuff’s inside. My cat’s inside.’ And he just says, ‘Well I can’t let you in. Nobody’s going in.’”

Her biggest worry was Lulu, Ms Pruitt said. And for nearly 48 hours, she anxiously waited for updates until a coworker informed her the Humane Society of Scott County had rescued her.

“All I read was, ‘We have Lulu,’ and I cried,” she said.

Ms Pruitt is receiving donations through a GoFundMe to cover her losses.

Family of woman rescued from Iowa building collapse reveal how screams saved her from demolition

Thursday 1 June 2023 14:30 , Joe Sommerlad

Lisa Brooks’ family tell The Independent: ‘She had passed out under the couch and the only reason she woke up is because we were yelling her name.’

Family of woman rescued from Iowa building collapse reveal how screams saved her

Iowa officials say ‘computer glitch’ changed inspection record for collapsed Davenport building

Thursday 1 June 2023 14:00 , Joe Sommerlad

When permit records for an Iowa building that collapsed this past weekend were mysteriously changed after the tragedy, city officials blamed a “computer glitch”. Skeptical members of the community aren’t convinced it was a mistake.

Five tenants are still unaccounted for after a large portion of a six-storey apartment complex in Davenport fell down on Sunday night. Authorities have said they now face a challenging decision as engineers warned another collapse of the remaining structure is “imminent” - but at least two men, Ryan Hitchcock and Branden Davis, are feared to be trapped in the existing wreckage.

The announcement of demolition plans less than 24 hours after the collapse, before city officials even acknowledged they had been unable to locate several residents, sparked outrage within the community who as protesters gathered at the site. The eleventh-hour rescue of a tenant who had passed out under a couch and awoke to the sound of family yelling her name also heightened concern that the men could be alive under the rubble.

Officials say ‘computer glitch’ changed inspection record for collapsed Iowa building

Surviving tenant of Iowa collapsed building reveals wife lost leg in rescue

Thursday 1 June 2023 13:30 , Joe Sommerlad

While Lexus Berry escaped the collapsed on Sunday, her wife Quanishia and their two cats became trapped under the rubble.

The Independent has more:

Surviving tenant of Iowa collapsed building reveals wife lost leg in rescue

Contractor says he warned Davenport building owner of likely collapse

Thursday 1 June 2023 13:03 , Joe Sommerlad

A contractor has said he warned the owner of the residential building that collapsed in downtown Davenport, Iowa, on Sunday that the disaster was imminent.

Speaking to The Quad-Cities Times, Ryan Shaffer, co-owner of local firm RA Masonry, said he was working on another building close to the six-storey 324 Main Street complex when he was approached by the latter property’s owner, Andrew Wold, about potential work, only for Mr Wold to walk away saying the quote was too high.

“He wanted to cut the cost by cutting out the shoring and supporting of the building,” Mr Shaffer said.

“I said, ‘If we don’t do it this way exactly, I’m not putting my guys in there. Somebody is going to die.’”

Mr Wold appears to have subsequently shopped around for a cheaper firm to carry out the work and found an alternative business that would do it for less, as reflected by city records.

ICYMI: Cats, snakes and lizard rescued from the wreckage

Thursday 1 June 2023 12:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar

The Humane Society of Scott County announced on Tuesday night that several animals were rescued and reunited with their humans.

“We recovered 6 cats, 2 snakes, and 1 lizard, which were all the pets reported on our form that weren’t in one of the apartments where the building collapsed,” the non-profit announced on Tuesday night. “We’ve already reunited 4 cats, the 2 snakes, and the lizard with their owners, and the other two will be reunited shortly!”

Five tenants are still unaccounted for, at least two of them are believed to be trapped in the wreckage.

Humane Society of Scott County

Iowa officials face a gruelling decision

Thursday 1 June 2023 12:00 , Andrea Blanco

Experts have said the structure built in the 1900s is extremely unstable. Because of the layout of the building, with the rear brick part holding together much of the steel structure, officials said there were likely no void spaces where trapped victims could have taken shelter.

Authorities said its brittle condition is worsening with time and the possibility of another collapse is now imminent.

“We want to get everyone out, we want to do it right now,” Fire Marshall Jim Morris said as he broke down in tears at Tuesday’s press conference. “So understand, it’s not that we don’t want to do this ... it’s that we have to do it in a safe manner.”

Officers weigh further searches of precarious building

Thursday 1 June 2023 11:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Officials are accessing whether further searches are possible as the wreckage poses a significant safety risk for crews who may enter, Davenport Fire Marshal Jim Morris said.

“You can’t run up to a pile of bricks and rocks and just start throwing things off – as much as we want to,” Mr Morris said at Tuesday’s news conference.

“It’s not that we don’t want to do this. It’s the fact that we have to do it in a safe manner. … We’re going to reevaluate how safe we can be in order to get in there and not currently make the situation any worse.”

IN PICTURES: Horror collapse in Davenport, Iowa, as five still unaccounted for

Thursday 1 June 2023 11:00 , Andrea Blanco

Surviving tenant of Iowa collapsed building reveals wife lost leg in rescue

Thursday 1 June 2023 10:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar

A survivor of the partially collapsed building in Davenport, Iowa, has revealed her wife had her leg amputated by rescuers trying to save her.

Lexus and Quanishia Berry were taking pictures of a crack between a wall and the bathroom doorway when the rear part of their building came down around 5pm on Sunday. Lexus was standing on a part of the structure that didn’t collapse, but in a matter of seconds, her wife and two cats disappeared under the rubble.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, first responders worked tirelessly to evacuate tenants, initially rescuing seven people from the wreckage. For the first 12 hours that authorities were unable to locate Quanishia, her wife stayed in the area, anxiously waiting for updates and holding onto hope that Quanishia had survived the ordeal.

On Monday morning, search crews finally located Quanishia, who was trapped under debris.

Surviving tenant of Iowa collapsed building reveals wife lost leg in rescue

Cats, snakes and lizard rescued from the wreckage

Thursday 1 June 2023 10:00 , Andrea Blanco

The Humane Society of Scott County announced on Tuesday night that several animals were rescued and reunited with their humans.

“We recovered 6 cats, 2 snakes, and 1 lizard, which were all the pets reported on our form that weren’t in one of the apartments where the building collapsed,” the non-profit announced on Tuesday night. “We’ve already reunited 4 cats, the 2 snakes, and the lizard with their owners, and the other two will be reunited shortly!”

Five tenants are still unaccounted for, at least two of them are believed to be trapped in the wreckage.

Humane Society of Scott County

ICYMI: Desperate search for survivors after apartment building collapses in Iowa

Thursday 1 June 2023 09:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar

A desperate search is underway to rescue potential survivors of an apartment building collapse in Davenport, Iowa.

Part of a red brick building on the city’s Main Street collapsed at around 5pm Sunday, with stunning photos showing at least one-fourth of the structure’s units destroyed. As of Monday morning, a total of eight people had been rescued from the wreckage.

Davenport Fire Chief Michael Carlsten said during a press conference that no deaths have been reported and the number of potential missing remains unknown.

Mr Carlsten added that the cause of the collapse has not been determined but residents had been placing several 911 calls reporting a “strong smell of gas.”

Desperate search for survivors after apartment building collapses in Iowa

WATCH: Video shows dramatic aftermath of building collapse in Iowa

Thursday 1 June 2023 09:00 , Andrea Blanco

Surviving tenant of Iowa collapsed building reveals wife lost leg in rescue

Thursday 1 June 2023 08:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar

A survivor of the partially collapsed building in Davenport, Iowa, has revealed her wife had her leg amputated by rescuers trying to save her.

Lexus and Quanishia Berry were taking pictures of a crack between a wall and the bathroom doorway when the rear part of their building came down around 5pm on Sunday. Lexus was standing on a part of the structure that didn’t collapse, but in a matter of seconds, her wife and two cats disappeared under the rubble.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, first responders worked tirelessly to evacuate tenants, initially rescuing seven people from the wreckage. For the first 12 hours that authorities were unable to locate Quanishia, her wife stayed in the area, anxiously waiting for updates and holding onto hope that Quanishia had survived the ordeal.

On Monday morning, search crews finally located Quanishia, who was trapped under debris.

Surviving tenant of Iowa collapsed building reveals wife lost leg in rescue

Building owner named as defendant in civil enforcement action

Thursday 1 June 2023 08:00 , Andrea Blanco

The city has been in contact with the building owner Andrew Wold, Mr Morris said on Tuesday.

State agencies are coordinating what agency will take the lead in the investigation but no criminal charges have been filed yet.

Iowa court records reviewed by The Independent on Wednesday show that Mr Wold and Davenport Hotel LLC are listed as defendants in a civil enforcement action brought by the City of Davenport on 30 May.

Mr Wold was given a $300 fine for failing to keep the building “safe, sanitary and structurally sound condition,” WQAD reports.

Iowa officials say ‘computer glitch’ changed inspection record for collapsed Davenport building

Thursday 1 June 2023 07:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar

When permit records for an Iowa building that collapsed this past weekend were mysteriously changed after the tragedy, city officials blamed a “computer glitch”. Skeptical members of the community aren’t convinced it was a mistake.

Five tenants are still unaccounted for after a large portion of a six-storey apartment complex in Davenport fell down on Sunday night. Authorities have said they now face a challenging decision as engineers warned another collapse of the remaining structure is “imminent” - but at least two men, Ryan Hitchcock and Branden Davis, are feared to be trapped in the existing wreckage.

The announcement of demolition plans less than 24 hours after the collapse, before city officials even acknowledged they had been unable to locate several residents, sparked outrage within the community who as protesters gathered at the site. The eleventh-hour rescue of a tenant who had passed out under a couch and awoke to the sound of family yelling her name also heightened concern that the men could be alive under the rubble.

Officials say ‘computer glitch’ changed inspection record for collapsed Iowa building

Structure of collapsed building becomes more brittle as time passes, experts say

Thursday 1 June 2023 07:00 , Andrea Blanco

Experts said the structure, built in the 1900s is extremely unstable. Because of the layout of the building, with the rear brick part holding together much of the steal structure, officials said there were likely no void spaces where trapped victims could have shielded.

Authorities said its brittle condition is worsening with time and the possibility of another collapse is now imminent.

Watch: Video shows dramatic aftermath of building collapse in Iowa

Thursday 1 June 2023 06:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Iowa officials say ‘computer glitch’ changed inspection record for collapsed Davenport building

Thursday 1 June 2023 06:00 , Andrea Blanco

The structure was undergoing permitted repairs at the time of the tragedy, officials said.

Read more:

Officials say ‘computer glitch’ changed inspection record for collapsed Iowa building

Iowa officials laid plans to demolish a collapsed building. Then they admitted people could still be trapped

Thursday 1 June 2023 05:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar

City officials in Davenport, Iowa, have admitted that five residents of the building that collapsed this weekend are still unaccounted for – a day after announcing plans to proceed with the demolition of the unstable structure.

A rear section of The Davenport, a six-storey apartment complex on 324 Main Street, collapsed at around 5pm on Sunday following reports last week that bricks were falling off the building and several complaints from tenants about their living conditions.

Nine people have been rescued from the wreckage as of Tuesday morning, according to Davenport Fire Chief Michael Carlsten. The ninth person rescued early Tuesday, more than 24 hours after the collapse, was Lisa Brooks — following statements by Mr Carlsten on Monday evening that “no one was believed to be trapped” under the wreckage.

“She’s at home, she’s fine now. She had passed out under the couch and the only reason she woke up, it’s because we were yelling her name,” Ms Brooks’ niece Pauletta Joeanna told The Independent.

Davenport Mayor Mike Matson admitted during a press conference on Tuesday that the Davenport Police Department has yet to account for five residents of the building. Two of them, Ryan Hitchcock and Branden Colvin, are feared to still be in the building.

Officials planned to demolish a collapsed Iowa building. Are survivors still trapped?

WATCH: Ninth person rescued from wreckage of Iowa building collapse

Thursday 1 June 2023 05:00 , Andrea Blanco

Iowa officials say ‘computer glitch’ changed inspection record for collapsed Davenport building

Thursday 1 June 2023 04:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar

When permit records for an Iowa building that collapsed this past weekend were mysteriously changed after the tragedy, city officials blamed a “computer glitch”.

Skeptical members of the community aren’t convinced it was a mistake.

The Independent has more:

Officials say ‘computer glitch’ changed inspection record for collapsed Iowa building

Woman moved out of building weeks before collapse due to cracks on the walls

Thursday 1 June 2023 04:00 , Andrea Blanco

Aurea Monet lived in a studio in the six-storey apartment building for around seven months, moving out just eight weeks before the block partially collapsed on Sunday.

In a series of TikTok videos, she says that she broke the lease on the rental unit and moved out after noticing huge cracks on both the inside and outside walls of her apartment.

The cracks started to develop after construction work began on the property, she says.

In the video, Ms Monet says “they started construction a while back and during that time I noticed a crack above my outlet”.

She says it was “much smaller at first” but then the crack “progressed over my time being there”.

Demolition plans laid as two tenants feared trapped under wreckage

Thursday 1 June 2023 03:00 , Andrea Blanco

City officials said in an update on Monday evening that the building is not salvageable and would be torn down.

No residents will be allowed back into the building before demolition begins due to its unstable condition.

“The owner of the property has been served with a notice and order for demolition of the property,” Council member Kyle Gripp said.

“The property is currently being secured by a contractor on site this afternoon and demolition is expected to commence in the morning.”

Fire Marshall J Morris said on Tuesday that authorities faced a challenging decision, as experts recommend a demolition as soon as permitting is obtained, while family members fear that their loved ones are still alive under the rubble.

Johnnie Woods told The Des Moines Register that her nephew Branden Colvin, who lived in a fifth-floor apartment in the building, did not show up for a family gathering on Sunday night. The family’s attempts to locate him since have been unsuccessful.

Ms Woods said a neighbour of Mr Colvin’s told her he’d seen him moments before the collapse. Mr Colvin’s vehicle was also in the building’s parking lot and had to be towed after the tragedy.

“My other nephews and other people have been trying to call his phone, and he’s not answering his phone,” Ms Woods told the Register. “So we’re assuming something, that he can’t talk, his phone is dead, or something. Really, we don’t know anything.”

Ms Woods said she learned Ryan Hitchcock was also unaccounted for during a meeting with police on Monday. A woman who police said is related to Mr Hitchcock noted during the press conference on Tuesday that she agreed with demolition plans.

“I was completely mortified about the protests. These people raising a voice, and they don’t know Ryan,” Amy Henderson said. “The city does have a plan and pushing for any delays ... it’s one more day that he’s under there. Ryan wouldn’t want anyone else to put their lives at risk unfortunately for someone who probably has not survived.”

During another search on Tuesday night, several animals were rescued but there were ni signs of human activity, officials said.

What caused the collapse?

Thursday 1 June 2023 02:00 , Andrea Blanco

The cause of the collapse has not been determined, officials said. After responding to the scene, authorities found a gas leak after the collapse and water also had leaked throughout the floors of the structure.

Rich Oswald, City of Davenport director of development and neighbourhood services, said that work was being done on the building’s exterior after reports of bricks falling from the building last week.

WATCH: Five people still unaccounted for 36 hours after Iowa building collapse

Thursday 1 June 2023 01:00 , Andrea Blanco

Iowa officials laid plans to demolish a collapsed building. Then they admitted people could still be trapped

Thursday 1 June 2023 00:00 , Andrea Blanco

City officials in Davenport, Iowa, have admitted that five residents of the building that collapsed this weekend are still unaccounted for – a day after announcing plans to proceed with the demolition of the unstable structure.

Read more:

Officials planned to demolish a collapsed Iowa building. Are survivors still trapped?

WATCH: Ninth person rescued from wreckage of Iowa building collapse

Wednesday 31 May 2023 22:38 , Andrea Blanco

Iowa officials say ‘computer glitch’ changed inspection record for collapsed Davenport building

Wednesday 31 May 2023 21:24 , Andrea Blanco

When permit records for an Iowa building that collapsed this past weekend were mysteriously changed after the tragedy, city officials blamed a “computer glitch”.

Skeptical members of the community aren’t convinced it was a mistake.

The Independent has more:

Officials say ‘computer glitch’ changed inspection record for collapsed Iowa building

Iowa officials face a grueling decision: Putting rescue teams in hazard to look for missing tenants or risking demolition with victims still trapped inside

Wednesday 31 May 2023 20:30 , Andrea Blanco

Experts have said the structure built in the 1900s is extremely unstable. Because of the layout of the building, with the rear brick part holding together much of the steel structure, officials said there were likely no void spaces where trapped victims could have taken shelter.

Authorities said its brittle condition is worsening with time and the possibility of another collapse is now imminent.

“We want to get everyone out, we want to do it right now,” Mr Morris said as he broke down in tears at Tuesday’s press conference. “So understand, it’s not that we don’t want to do this ... it’s that we have to do it in a safe manner.”

Former tenant recounts issues with collapsed building

Wednesday 31 May 2023 20:00 , Andrea Blanco

Aurea Monet lived in a studio in the six-storey apartment building for around seven months, moving out just eight weeks before the block partially collapsed on Sunday.

In a series of TikTok videos, she says that she broke the lease on the rental unit and moved out after noticing huge cracks on both the inside and outside walls of her apartment.

The cracks started to develop after construction work began on the property, she says.

In the video, Ms Monet says “they started construction a while back and during that time I noticed a crack above my outlet”.

She says it was “much smaller at first” but then the crack “progressed over my time being there”.

Cats, snakes and lizard rescued from the wreckage overnight

Wednesday 31 May 2023 19:55 , Andrea Blanco

The Humane Society of Scott County announced that several animals were rescued and reunited with their humans.

“We recovered 6 cats, 2 snakes, and 1 lizard, which were all the pets reported on our form that weren’t in one of the apartments where the building collapsed,” the non-profit announced on Tuesday night. “We’ve already reunited 4 cats, the 2 snakes, and the lizard with their owners, and the other two will be reunited shortly!”

Five tenants are still unaccounted for, at least two of them are believed to be trapped in the wreckage.

Iowa officials finally admit that up to five residents are still missing

Wednesday 31 May 2023 19:30 , Andrea Blanco

Officials in Iowa have finally admitted that up to five residents are still missing following the collapse of a six-story apartment building – after previously claiming there were no credible reports of missing people and making plans to demolish the block while people could still be trapped inside.

Davenport Mayor Mike Matson said at a press conference on Tuesday that five people are still unaccounted for, including two who are believed to still be in the partially collapsed building.

“The Davenport Police Department has been working diligently to account for the [residents] of the building,” he said.

“Five individuals are still unaccounted for, two of those we believe to possibly be still in the building.”

The identities of the missing have not been released but the revelation comes after desperate neighbours, locals and loved ones have been trying to raise the alarm about two men thought to be in the building at the time of the collapse.

Building owner named as defendant in civil enforcement action

Wednesday 31 May 2023 19:00 , Andrea Blanco

The city has been in contact with the building owner Andrew Wold, Mr Morris said on Tuesday.

State agencies are coordinating what agency will take the lead in the investigation but no criminal charges have been filed yet.

Iowa court records reviewed by The Independent on Wednesday show that Mr Wold and Davenport Hotel LLC are listed as defendants in a civil enforcement action brought by the City of Davenport on 30 May.

Mr Wold was given a $300 fine for failing to keep the building “safe, sanitary and structurally sound condition,” WQAD reports.

Building collapse survivor had leg amputated

Wednesday 31 May 2023 18:28 , Andrea Blanco

Lexus Berry and her wife Quanishia tried to escape the collapse on Sunday, grabbing their cats and rushing to make it downstairs. But while Lexus was able to make it to safety, Quanishia became trapped in the rubble.

“There was a lot of debris and things surrounding her and her legs were pinned down,” Lexus told The Quad-City Times. “They were able to get one leg out, but the other leg in order to get her out, they had to amputate it.”

“It was a scene that I’ll never forget. I’ll never forget that image of the way she was trapped.”