A hotel in Kröv, a town in the Rhineland-Palatinate region of western Germany, partially collapsed on August 6, 2024, at approximately 23:00 local time, resulting in one confirmed death and eight people trapped under the rubble. The incident occurred when a floor of the hotel gave way, causing two floors to collapse on one side of the building.According to police reports, 14 people were in the hotel at the time of the collapse. Five individuals managed to escape unharmed, while nine others were initially trapped. Rescue teams have since confirmed one fatality, though the body has not yet been recovered due to the precarious state of the building.The rescue operation is described as ‘extremely challenging’ by local authorities. Jörg Teusch, the Brand- and Katastrophenschutzinspekteur of the Landkreis Bernkastel-Wittlich, stated, ‘The situation is extremely difficult. We are doing everything we can to rescue the people trapped inside the building’. Rescue teams have made contact with some of the trapped individuals, including a child, but the unstable condition of the building is hampering rescue efforts.A massive rescue operation is underway, with approximately 250 emergency responders on the scene, including firefighters, police, technical rescue teams, and special forces. The Technical Assistance Corps (THW) has set up monitoring points to detect any further movement in the structure. Drones and search dogs are also being utilized in the rescue efforts.As a precautionary measure, 31 residents from neighboring buildings have been evacuated due to concerns of potential further collapse. The cause of the collapse remains unknown, and an investigation is underway.This incident has drawn significant attention from both local and international media, highlighting the dangers of structural failures and the complexities involved in urban search and rescue operations.
Key points
- A hotel in Kröv, Germany partially collapsed on August 6, 2024, resulting in one death and eight people trapped.
- Rescue efforts are ongoing but hindered by the risk of further collapse, with 250 emergency responders on scene.
- The cause of the collapse is unknown and under investigation.
Contradictions👾There are slight discrepancies in the reported time of the collapse, with some sources stating it occurred ‘in the early hours of Wednesday’ while others report it happened at 23:00 on Tuesday.
