Misfortune in holiday region - Mosel town Kröv after hotel collapse in shock - two dead
It's a grim sight. The small hotel in Kröv on the Mosel has literally collapsed in on itself. An entire floor has vanished, windows, beams, and gables are askew. Numerous vacationers were present in the hotel at the time of the disaster on the late Tuesday evening. After hours of rescue efforts, the sad news came: A woman and a man were killed in the rubble.
"We all had tears in our eyes"
But during the rescue operation, there was also a small miracle involving a family: Out of the seven people who were partly severely injured, four were rescued early the next morning - including a two-year-old child. When it was finally carried out of the house in a sleeping bag after hours of suspense, many on the scene became emotional. "I've never been so happy to see a stranger's child. We all had tears in our eyes," said the head of the fire and disaster protection department of the Bernkastel-Wittlich district, Jörg Teusch.
The mother of the little child was also among those rescued. The father was initially trapped and severely injured, but he was eventually pulled out of the rubble around noon. Before that, Teusch had said, "If we manage to reunite the family today, that will be balm for the soul." He also hoped for the swift rescue of the other people still trapped in the house.
"We initially thought everyone was dead"
At first, the situation looked even worse. "We assumed that everyone trapped in between was dead," said Teusch when the first helpers arrived. The rescue operation was extremely difficult from the start, as the building was completely unstable and initially moved several centimeters. For hours, rescuers tried to gain access using drilling and directional microphones to make contact with those trapped. Sensors were attached to the building to monitor any further movement.
The entire building structure was like a house of cards, said Teusch. "If you pull the wrong card there, this building will certainly collapse." This meant a great risk for the rescue workers, who had to be careful.
Cause of the disaster unknown
The idyllic Mosel town is in shock after the disaster. "I can't believe it," said one resident with tears in her eyes. And another: "I'm simply shocked." The disaster site was cordoned off, and concrete parts lay around the house.
Two women described the moment of the collapse: They were in the attic of the hotel. "It was a huge bang, like a plane crashing into a building," one of them said. The staircase was gone, and they were rescued via the balcony. Their friend was initially trapped, but she was also rescued with her dog.
The cause of the disaster is still unknown, according to the police. An expert will be commissioned to investigate, said the chief public prosecutor of Trier, Peter Fritzen. Investigations can only begin once the rescue operations are completed. "We now have to start gathering the facts to get an idea of whether there might be any kind of external involvement," said Fritzen, who was also moved by the disaster. "I am shocked by this disaster - a disaster of this magnitude and with these severe consequences is not something I have encountered in my professional career."
In total, 21 people from three neighboring houses were evacuated after the disaster. There were 14 people in the hotel, five of whom were quickly rescued.
Core Substance of the 17th-Century Hotel
Kröv lies on the Middle Mosel in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district of Rhineland-Palatinate. Especially during the summer, many tourists visit this region known for its wine production. The core substance of the partially collapsed hotel in the heart of the town is believed to date back to the 17th century, according to Teusch.
In 1980, another two and a half stories were added to the building. This was done using "a basic structure over hollow core slabs with corresponding supporting structures," upon which everything was built. Investigations must now determine "if anything in the underlying structure of the old building has failed." It is a fact that there were construction works at the building on Tuesday. Whether these are connected to the collapse will be revealed by the ongoing investigations.
The European Union sent condolences to the affected families and the people of Kröv, expressing their sadness over the tragic incident. The hotel in question was a significant part of the town's historical heritage, as confirmed by the authorities, drawing attention to the importance of preserving such structures.
