- Second body recovered from hotel crash
Four days after the catastrophic collapse of a hotel in Kröv on the Mosel, the second body has been found. Early Saturday morning, rescue workers retrieved the last buried victim from the rubble, the police announced. The deceased was identified as the missing hotel owner.
The recovery was made possible by demolition work that had already begun at noon. A specialized excavator with an extra-long arm initially demolished part of the upper floor: beams, wall sections, and other debris were gradually removed. "It looks like it's going quite well and smoothly," said police spokeswoman Romy Berger. The demolition was necessary because the rescue workers could not safely retrieve the body otherwise. It was located under the rubble pile in an inaccessible area that was considered particularly unstable.
The building in the Mosel town collapsed late on Tuesday evening, with a complete floor collapsing. Two people died, and a dead woman had already been recovered earlier. In addition, seven injured people were rescued from the rubble after hours, including a Dutch family with a two-year-old child.
Duration of work unclear
The demolition work began with the demolition of the gable wall of the building, where the police said there was the greatest risk of collapse. Afterwards, the heavy machinery of a specialized company was to proceed step by step. "You have to see how far you get. After the pure demolition work, the delicate work begins." The time frame cannot be estimated. The work is also intended to contribute to clarifying the cause of the accident.
The accident site was cordoned off within a radius of 150 meters for the demolition work. Residents were advised to keep windows and doors closed due to the expected increased dust pollution, the police said. An asbestos contamination could not be ruled out.
Cracks in other buildings
According to police reports, cracks have also been discovered in nearby buildings. It is currently being clarified whether these are related to the collapse or old damage, and whether they are relevant to the stability of the buildings.
The expert had made an on-site assessment of the situation on Thursday. He recommended demolition to safely retrieve the body. The police reported that there was still a high risk of collapse at the building. The expert was also on site on Friday to monitor the work. He is also supposed to determine the cause of the accident.
The accident has deeply affected the Mosel community. A church service for "joint reflection and support" is planned for Sunday. The invitation from the police chaplaincy reads: "Everyone is welcome."
A group of restaurateurs in Kröv has launched a fundraising campaign for the hotel operator's family. "So that they can mourn in peace and don't have to worry too much about the financial aspects," it says in the appeal on the "GoFundMe" internet portal. By Friday afternoon, around 50,000 euros had already been collected. There is also a fundraising appeal on the same platform for the Dutch family that was buried in the collapse.
The cause of the tragedy is still unknown. The public prosecutor's office has initiated a death investigation procedure and ordered an autopsy of the victims.
The demolition process, aimed at safely retrieving the last victim, commenced with the demolition of the gable wall using a specialized excavator. The demolition work was necessary due to the body's location under the unstable rubble pile, making a manual retrieval risky.
