Agencies
Mainz
Two people have been killed in Kröv, Germany, after a hotel building partially collapsed late on Tuesday night, while several others remain trapped under the rubble.
Rescue operations were ongoing with more than 200 emergency services personnel at the scene.
Located near the banks of the River Moselle, the hotel’s roof collapsed at around 23:00 local time (21:00 GMT) on Tuesday, shattering windows as the top floor of the building collapsed onto the lower floor.
Fourteen people were inside the hotel at the time of the incident, according to local police. A young Dutch family visiting the region was among those rescued on Wednesday morning.
Five people were able to flee the building unharmed late on Tuesday night, but nine others were trapped under rubble.
In a news conference on Wednesday fire inspector Jörg Teusch identified the two people killed as a man and a woman, who he said died during the night as a direct result of the building collapse.
Dutch media reported that a 23-year-old woman from Urk and her infant son were rescued early on Wednesday morning and taken to hospital. The woman’s husband, aged 26, was rescued later the same day and his condition was not yet known.
Some 250 emergency services personnel were deployed to support rescue efforts, including firefighters, police, rescue dog teams and medics.
Two people were still buried under the rubble, but emergency services have said they are still in contact with them.
As reported by local broadcaster SWR, the damaged building in western Germany dates back to the 1600s. It experienced significant renovations back in the 1980s, when an additional floor was added to the now two-storey hotel.
The Moselle valley is a popular tourist destination, famed for its vineyards and picturesque old towns.
One hotel guest quoted by SWR said he was in the toilet when the floor beneath him collapsed.
Nearby residents have been told to evacuate the area given concerns that the hotel building could collapse further.