Hotel collapses in Mosel municipality of Kröv: two dead and several injured
According to reports, the incident occurred on Tuesday evening around 11 PM for unknown reasons. An entire floor of the hotel collapsed, with 14 people inside the building at the time. Five managed to escape unharmed, while the remaining nine were trapped under the rubble.
Rescue teams successfully freed four of the trapped individuals by Wednesday morning. Direct contact was established with the remaining three using megaphones, according to incident commander Jürgen Teusch. The people were trapped under debris and were "probably also severely injured". The two fatalities were likely killed instantly during the collapse, he added.
Teusch emphasized the complexity of the rescue operation, stating that the hotel was at high risk of further collapse. The building's structure was likened to a house of cards. "If you pull the wrong card there, this building will certainly collapse," he said. Efforts to free the remaining trapped individuals were ongoing.
Teusch reported that the collapsed floor's ceilings were directly on top of each other. The rescue of any survivors was considered miraculous. "We assumed that everyone trapped between them was dead," he said. The rescue of the first survivors, including a two-year-old child, was emotionally charged for the rescue teams. "We all had tears in our eyes," he said.
The duration of the rescue operation for the remaining three individuals was initially unclear. Authorities were unable to provide initial information on the cause of the collapse. It was reported that construction work was taking place in the building on Tuesday. However, Teusch stated that the connection between the work and the collapse was still under investigation.
The Trier Public Prosecutor's Office has initiated a death investigation procedure. An expert report will determine the cause of the hotel's collapse, said Chief Prosecutor Peter Fritzen in Kröv at a joint press conference with the incident command. Autopsies will also be conducted.
Among the trapped individuals was a Dutch family. The two-year-old child and the mother were rescued with minor injuries, while the father remained trapped and seriously injured.
Rhineland-Palatinate Minister President Alexander Schweitzer (SPD) announced that he would visit Kröv on Wednesday to assess the situation. "My thoughts are with the people still trapped under the rubble of the collapsed hotel in Kröv on the Mosel," he said on the short messaging service X. Around 250 rescue workers were involved in the dangerous operation.
Rhineland-Palatinate Interior Minister Michael Ebling (SPD) expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased and thanked the many rescue workers. He also emphasized the danger to the rescue teams. "It is necessary for the rescue teams to secure themselves," he said.
Authorities reported that 21 residents and guests of a neighboring inn were also evacuated after the incident. Initially, rescue teams had spoken of a total of 31 evacuees.
Members of the Dutch family expressed their gratitude towards the rescue teams for saving their child and mother. Despite the collapse, other guests and residents managed to find safe haven in nearby establishments.
