Misfortune in Mosel town - Two dead in hotel collapse, still people in rubble
In the collapse of an entire floor in a hotel on the Mosel, two people have been killed. In an extremely complex rescue operation lasting many hours and emotionally challenging for the rescuers in the town of Kröv, five people were eventually rescued from the rubble, including a two-year-old child and its mother. The cause of the disaster is still completely unclear. What is known so far?
What happened?
Around 11 pm on Tuesday evening, parts of the hotel collapsed. According to the police, residents called the emergency number. "Upon arrival of the first forces, it became apparent that a complete floor of this building structure had collapsed and the two ceilings were essentially on top of each other," said the fire and disaster protection inspector of the Bernkastel-Wittlich district, Jörg Teusch.
At the time of the collapse, 14 people were in the hotel. Five were rescued relatively quickly because they were in "unaffected parts of the building," Teusch explained. Nine others were trapped under the rubble.
Where did the disaster occur?
Kröv is a small town on the Mosel in Rhineland-Palatinate. According to the State Statistical Office, around 2,300 people live there. The wine village, known for its location between vineyards and the Mosel, is a popular destination for tourists, both domestic and foreign. The collapsed hotel is only about 150 meters from the Mosel riverbank. According to the website, there are 16 rooms and a restaurant.
What is known about the victims?
Two people died in the collapse. They were a woman born in 1961 and a man, both German nationals, Teusch said. The age of the still-unrescued man was not yet known.
By early morning, five people had been rescued from the rubble. Four of them had minor injuries, Teusch said. Among the rescued were a two-year-old child and its mother. A dog was also pulled from the rubble.
Two more living people are still trapped, according to the police. They are injured to varying degrees. It is difficult to say how long the rescue will take, Teusch said.
How are the rescue teams proceeding?
Around 250 personnel were on site overnight, with about 150 still active. For several hours, using heavy equipment, rescuers tried to gain access to the hotel, Teusch said. This was eventually achieved. Through drilling, contact was established with those trapped using directional microphones.
The operation is a significant challenge for the teams. "We have to proceed carefully here because the entire building structure is like a house of cards. If we pull the wrong card, this building will certainly collapse," Teusch said.
The situation is under control and is being managed excellently, said the Rhineland-Palatinate Interior Minister Michael Ebling (SPD). "The collapse of a building to this extent is undoubtedly a very unusual event," he said. He thanked the teams for their highly professional response. The state authority ADD has activated its coordination center in case support is needed. "We are ready," a spokeswoman said.
What is known about the cause?
The cause is still unknown. What can be said is that there were construction works at the building yesterday," said fire and disaster protection inspector Teusch. Whether these are in a causal connection with the collapse will have to be shown by expert opinions and investigations.
The core substance of the building dates back to the 17th century, said Teusch. "Around 1980, an additional two and a half floors were added to the ground floor." At that time, a basic structure was built using hollow core slabs and supporting structures. "That was precisely where the issue lay, which led to the complete collapse of the first floor." Expert reports must now determine if there was any failure in the underlying structure of the old building.
Is anyone under investigation?
The Public Prosecutor's Office in Trier has initiated a so-called death investigation procedure. This is done whenever people die from unnatural causes, said Chief Senior Public Prosecutor Peter Fritzen from Trier. The aim is to find the cause of death and to check if there are any indications of external involvement. The procedure is not yet directed against a specific person, and it does not yet concern a specific criminal offense.
The Public Prosecutor's Office will likely commission an expert, said Fritzen. This expert will investigate the cause of the accident and will play a central role.
The disaster occurred at a hotel located near the Moselle riverbank in Kröv, a popular tourist destination known for its vineyards and wine village atmosphere. The collapsed hotel, which has 16 rooms and a restaurant, was only about 150 meters from the river.
The Moselle river travels through the same region where the collapsed hotel is situated, providing a scenic backdrop for the village of Kröv.
