Mayor: 5 unaccounted for, including 2 likely in wreckage of downtown building partially collapsed

DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) - Five people are unaccounted for, including two likely in the wreckage of the partially collapsed Davenport apartment building, according to Mayor Mike Matson.

According to city officials, this is changed from Monday when city officials said they had no credible information people were missing, after getting phone calls from family members when asked to call 911 with information about anyone not accounted for.

City officials held a news conference Tuesday morning to clarify and update the situation, after protestors gathered after word demolition may start Tuesday while there could still be people inside the building that partially collapsed Sunday in Davenport.

Matson said Lisa Brooks was found in the apartment building Monday night. City officials said they do not know how she got there but are committed to finding out why she was still in the building.

City officials said the demolition timeline partially changed after finding Brooks in the apartment building Monday night.

Amy Anderson, a relative of Ryan Hitchcock, who is currently unaccounted for, said during the media conference, “I plead with our community, this is a no win situation. We don’t want anyone else hurt.”

Anderson says the community needs to pull together and focus on what already has been loss and to support the city in taking down the building safely.

Fire Marshal Jim Morris said, “This building does need to come down and it needs to come down in a controlled manner so that we do not create any more damage or lives lost.”

A structural engineer says the building is over 100 years old. The condition of the building is worsening over time. It’s brittle and non-redundant and it’s difficult to say how long it will continue to collapse.

Morris said the initial rumor that a car crashed into the building, and caused the collapse, is not correct.

Davenport Fire Chief Mike Carleston said within the first hour of the building collapse Sunday, seven people were rescued and crews helped over a dozen people out of the building

According to Davenport Chief Jeff Bladel, police worked with Red Cross, building owners, property managers, family and friends to put together a list of possible tenants in the building.

Matson thanked the community for reaching out to help and encourages the public to reach out to the Red Cross.

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