- "Unfortunately, we never forget" - Searching for the reason in Kröv
A week after the hotel collapse in Kröv on the Mosel with two fatalities and seven injured, the search for the cause of the disaster is in full swing. However, the demolition work on the hotel building has proven "very difficult and time-consuming," said lead chief public prosecutor Peter Fritzen in Trier. Therefore, the work of the expert tasked with determining the cause of the collapse is likely to take some more time on-site.
"The demolition work will keep us busy for a longer period," said the spokesperson for the Trier police. "I don't see an end to the work this week."
On the late Tuesday evening of the previous week, a complete floor of the hotel collapsed. Two people died: a 64-year-old woman and the 59-year-old hotel operator. Seven others were trapped in the rubble for hours. Around 250 emergency services were involved in the 24-hour rescue operation.
Autopsy of the victims
An autopsy of the bodies has so far shown that in one case, injuries directly caused by the collapse were the cause of death, Fritzen said. The second victim died of a pulmonary embolism. Whether this was caused by the collapse will be clarified in the final autopsy report. Due to privacy rights, he did not want to attribute the details to the victims.
Trier's chief public prosecutor, Eric Samel, said he was "confident" that the expert would reach a conclusion. "It's just a matter of time." The whole thing has to be "thoroughly and calmly" processed. It is the expert who is guiding the demolition work to get the information they need.
Currently, there are no findings on the cause of the collapse, Fritzen said. It is also not yet possible to answer the question of whether construction work that took place on the building shortly before is related to the disaster. "This is the subject of ongoing investigations," he said. A crack had also been noticed on the hotel before the collapse, and experts had been involved.
Offers for rescue workers
A week after the rescue operation, there is still no return to normal business, said Jörg Teusch, the fire and disaster protection inspector of the Bernkastel-Wittlich district. He is in constant telephone contact with those involved and asks how they are doing. "If someone suddenly becomes very withdrawn or suddenly hyperactive, then something is not right," said Teusch.
After the hotel collapse, there was a request from rescue workers for psychosocial support, which is already being provided. Almost 200 emergency services personnel attended the police chaplaincy service in Kröv on Sunday, he said. "It was a very moving service. And the fact that the father and father-in-law of the Dutch family spoke words of thanks to the helpers was incredible."
Learning from the disaster
An incident like the one in Kröv has not occurred in his 35 years of service, said Teusch. "That a house in Germany, Rhineland-Palatinate, just collapses like that and then a large number of those affected are buried - that's just not an everyday incident," he said. "It will now be analyzed."
There is a wealth of hours of material, such as drone footage during the incident. "For us here in the county, this is a point where we will now focus more on training and equipment." The likelihood of something like this happening again in the county is probably in the thousandths of a percent. But if it does, we want to be prepared. "This will certainly be a topic for us," said Teusch. "Of course, this is not a point for blind activism. We are now evaluating this carefully."
The tragedy will never be forgotten
The sympathy and compassion are still "huge," said Mayor Desire Beth (CDU). "We are still receiving emails with comforting sentences." Of course, we mourn the two dead. But we are also very grateful for "this miracle" that five people were able to leave the disaster site - and seven survivors were rescued.
After the shock and disbelief, a little activity is now returning to the 2,300-resident town, said Beth. Almost all measures - such as road closures or evacuations - have been completed. "Normality is gradually returning." But the tragedy will never be forgotten in the town.
The police spokesperson, aligning with the lead chief public prosecutor's sentiments, mentioned that the demolition work is expected to continue for an extended period, stating, "Just like Peter Fritzen, I don't see an end to the work this week."
Reflecting on the ongoing investigation, Trier's chief public prosecutor, Eric Samel, reiterated, "We are confident that the expert will reach a conclusion, it's just a matter of time and thoroughly processing all the information."
