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Iowa officials: 3 bodies recovered at apartment collapse site; no others thought missing

Iowa officials: 3 bodies recovered at apartment collapse site; no others thought missing
So again. Thank you. Good morning. Our hearts continue to go out to the families and everybody involved in this tragic incident. There's been substantial work done on the site and you're going to see *** fair amount of folks update you today. Again. I want to express my care and concern and heartfelt to the families and friends. I can't express that enough. I wanna think and, and my gratitude to Chief Heller and his folks for the meticulous caring work they've been doing and continue to do handling and concentrating on caring for the dignity of what they do. I can't express my thanks enough, sir. So with that, I'll have Chief Halloran give you some information to. Thank you so much. Good morning um update on the situation just down the road is over. The weekend crews have worked very diligently and carefully and respectfully for the task at hand and doing so. We've had the good fortune of working through the process and giving some closure to some families as such as we come into today's operations following the goals and objectives by the command staff of the city and the incident management team in all hopes it looks like we'll be wrapping things up shortly. Um That being said they are still working, things are dynamic and they still could be changing. But the hope is that we will be entering *** new chapter, *** new phase in the process of working through the aftermath of the collapse. That's true. We have questions at the end and now have uh chief come up and give you some information from his perspective on accountability. Again, Chief Dan for police and again, just stress can't stress enough of all the work, all the effort and everything has been brought to our community to assist us through this tragic event. And there's been *** lot of progress done in the past 48 hours, as was said, but three victims have been recovered from the scene over the past 48 hours. On Saturday, June 3rd 2023 at 11 59 AM. *** victim was recovered and forensically identified as Brandon Colvin Senior 42 42 years of age of Davenport on Sunday, June 4th 2023 at 12 25 PM. Victim recovered and forensically identified as Ryan Hitchcock 51 years of age of Davenport and on Monday, June 5th 2023 at 2 30 AM. *** victim was recovered and forensically identified as Daniel 60 years of age of Davenport. Prior to this information being presented to you as the media, we have been in contact with both Brandon and Ryan's family throughout the weekend, providing updates, we have made contact with family members of Daniel as well. So there's some delay and sometimes when information gets out, but out of respect for the families and the family's requests, we honor that and we delay that information. As of now, as I initially informed you guys with the investigation piece, we were looking for three missing individuals. We don't have any other information at this time that there is any additional people missing and or related to this incident. Also information or questions regarding an investigation or what is going on with the investigation. So the investigation as with such an event and as you can imagine, the complexities of an investigation is initiated through our city fire marshal's office. We have resources on the ground to assist from the division of criminal investigations or DC. The Davenport Police Department's investigation team is also assisting with the investigation as well as the medical examiner's office and several other investigations. Well, not several yet. So again, as the complexity continues, if additional subject matter experts related to this investigation are needed, they will be brought in and the investigation will continue. This is an active investigation. So details will be released when we can actually provide additional information. Ok? But again, three dam community members through this tragic event so far, our community has rallied around these families, ok? Continue to honor those families, continue to respect the families and what we do and how we act accordingly and keep them in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you. Thank you. Chief will now be followed by uh the incident management team. Um Chief Brian Van Sir. Good morning. Uh, late last week, the Northwest Illinois incident management team was requested in the city of Davenport through the Scott County Emergency Management Agency to come in and assist with the operations since we've been on the ground last week. Our primary objectives have been overall site safety for not only the first responders and contractors, but as well as those that are in the area as well through dust and debris removal. Additionally, we've been tasked with overall operational picture that's combining again, the private and public contractors and people that are on site and we are also coordinating all of all of the logistics that are requested to come on scene. So that's been our primary focus since we got on site late last week. We'll continue to be here to support those efforts throughout the week. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Thank you everyone. So I'll just give you *** couple quick statements and then I'll take *** couple of questions because I have to go right away to brief the governor who is here. There have been inquiries regarding the 911 call that was placed on Saturday. I want to ensure the public that we are looking into this right now as I'm sure you can understand, our focus has been on the families of the victims and the ongoing recovering efforts. Our focus is still on recovery. But as you heard, there's *** potential for transition workers and I can't thank them enough. Again, going meticulously through all the material. Once that is completed, we'll work with our contractor and *** plan for the safe dismantle of parts of the building. We're working with multiple structural experts from all around the country to understand how best to proceed and do this in *** dignified manner. I'll take *** couple questions and then I again, I have to be up with the governor. So Sarah Mhm. Name of the three individuals. And can you determine if they died immediately upon them? So again, Jeff Chief of police, so again, over the weekend, we've been meeting with families and giving them updates. *** part of that meeting was the medical examiner, meeting directly with the families. So *** lot of that information was provided to the families directly, not necessarily for public consumption, but yes, in the state of Iowa. If *** death occurs outside *** medical facility, there is an autopsy that's done. The victims were released to the medical examiner's office. They go for the autopsy in the State Crime Lab and then they're released to the families beyond that point. So there will be autopsies done on all three, sir. And that'll come back has been involved in this process. If at all, I have had no contact with him. I don't know if anybody else has so he's not doing anything. Not that I'm, I don't, not that I'm with, um, could you elaborate on who is, uh, paying for the search? Who is paying for the eventual demolition of the building? I don't know that there's ***, we are certainly collecting all the data and, and developing all the information on the bill which is significant and we're working through that. All right. Thank you. I have to go, um, appreciate you guys being here and continue. We'll provide updates as needed. Right.
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Iowa officials: 3 bodies recovered at apartment collapse site; no others thought missing
The bodies of three men have been removed from the site of a collapsed six-story apartment building, the police chief in Davenport, Iowa, announced Monday."We don’t have any other information at this time that there are any additional people missing,” Chief Jeff Bladel said.Branden Colvin Sr.’s body was recovered Saturday. The body of Ryan Hitchcock was recovered Sunday and Daniel Prien early Monday. The discoveries came after authorities announced that the search for survivors had been completed, with attention turning to shoring up the remaining structure so recovery efforts could begin.City officials had said earlier that Colvin, 42; Hitchcock, 51; and Prien, 60; had “high probability of being home at the time of the collapse." Searching for them has proven to be extremely dangerous. The remains of the six-story apartment building were constantly in motion in the first 24 to 36 hours after it collapsed on May 28, putting rescuers at great risk.“We are doing the best we can to balance the building conditions and the safety of our responders,” Fire Chief Mike Carlsten told reporters. He said conditions have forced a response that may take “days and weeks” instead of what ideally would have been minutes or hours.Mayor Mike Matson has said the debris pile “could be a place of rest for some of the unaccounted.”Video below: Surveillance video shows a support brace bending before a building collapse in IowaUnresolved questions include why neither the owner nor city officials warned residents about potential danger. A structural engineer’s report issued days before the collapse indicated a wall of the century-old building was at imminent risk of crumbling.Documents released by the city show that city officials and the building’s owner had been warned for months that parts of the building were unstable.Tenants also complained to the city in recent years about a host of problems they say were ignored by property managers, including no heat or hot water for weeks or even months at a time, as well as mold and water leakage from ceilings and toilets. While city officials tried to address some complaints and gave vacate orders to individual apartments, a broader evacuation was never ordered, records show.Current and former residents told The Associated Press about interior cracks on the wall that ultimately collapsed that were reported to building management. One woman whose apartment ended up in a huge pile of rubble had to have her leg amputated in order to be rescued.Andrew Wold, the building’s owner, released a statement dated May 30 saying “our thoughts and prayers are with our tenants.” He has made no statement since then, and efforts to reach him, his company and a man believed to be his attorney have been unsuccessful.County records show Davenport Hotel L.L.C. acquired the building in a 2021 deal worth $4.2 million.

The bodies of three men have been removed from the site of a collapsed six-story apartment building, the police chief in Davenport, Iowa, announced Monday.

"We don’t have any other information at this time that there are any additional people missing,” Chief Jeff Bladel said.

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Branden Colvin Sr.’s body was recovered Saturday. The body of Ryan Hitchcock was recovered Sunday and Daniel Prien early Monday. The discoveries came after authorities announced that the search for survivors had been completed, with attention turning to shoring up the remaining structure so recovery efforts could begin.

City officials had said earlier that Colvin, 42; Hitchcock, 51; and Prien, 60; had “high probability of being home at the time of the collapse." Searching for them has proven to be extremely dangerous. The remains of the six-story apartment building were constantly in motion in the first 24 to 36 hours after it collapsed on May 28, putting rescuers at great risk.

“We are doing the best we can to balance the building conditions and the safety of our responders,” Fire Chief Mike Carlsten told reporters. He said conditions have forced a response that may take “days and weeks” instead of what ideally would have been minutes or hours.

Mayor Mike Matson has said the debris pile “could be a place of rest for some of the unaccounted.”

Video below: Surveillance video shows a support brace bending before a building collapse in Iowa

Unresolved questions include why neither the owner nor city officials warned residents about potential danger. A structural engineer’s report issued days before the collapse indicated a wall of the century-old building was at imminent risk of crumbling.

Documents released by the city show that city officials and the building’s owner had been warned for months that parts of the building were unstable.

Tenants also complained to the city in recent years about a host of problems they say were ignored by property managers, including no heat or hot water for weeks or even months at a time, as well as mold and water leakage from ceilings and toilets. While city officials tried to address some complaints and gave vacate orders to individual apartments, a broader evacuation was never ordered, records show.

DAVENPORT, IOWA - JUNE 03: Search and rescue effort continue at a six story apartment building nearly a week after a section of the building collapsed on June 3, 2023 in Davenport, Iowa. Demolition of the building was scheduled for earlier this week but community members protested what they felt was the lack of effort searching for victims and the demolition was delayed. Three people who lived in the building remain unaccounted for.    (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Scott Olson
Search and rescue efforts concluded at a six-story apartment building nearly a week after a section of the building collapsed on June 3, 2023 in Davenport, Iowa.

Current and former residents told The Associated Press about interior cracks on the wall that ultimately collapsed that were reported to building management. One woman whose apartment ended up in a huge pile of rubble had to have her leg amputated in order to be rescued.

Andrew Wold, the building’s owner, released a statement dated May 30 saying “our thoughts and prayers are with our tenants.” He has made no statement since then, and efforts to reach him, his company and a man believed to be his attorney have been unsuccessful.

County records show Davenport Hotel L.L.C. acquired the building in a 2021 deal worth $4.2 million.