Two more bodies recovered from Iowa building collapse
- Three bodies were recovered from the site of an Iowa building collapse
- Those who died are Branden Colvin Sr., Daniel Prien and Ryan Hitchcock
- No additional information indicating others are missing, officials say
Branden Colvin Jr., center, lights candles for his father, Branden Colvin Sr., with Devina Henderson, left, and Malia Rush, right, during a candlelight vigil for Colvin, Ryan Hitchcock and Daniel Prien, at the site of a building collapse, Sunday, June 4, 2023, in Davenport, Iowa. (Nikos Frazier/Quad City Times via AP)
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(NewsNation) — Two more bodies were recovered in the wreckage of a partial apartment building collapse in Davenport, Iowa, officials said Monday.
The body of Ryan Hitchcock, 51, was found at 12:25 p.m. Sunday, while Daniel Prien, 60, was found at 2:30 a.m. Monday.
Branden Colvin Sr.’s body was recovered at 11:59 a.m. Saturday. Colvin, 42 was the first person to have been confirmed dead in the collapse. The Quad-City Times reports his son, Branden Colvin Jr., graduated from high school the same day his father was found.
On Sunday evening, a vigil was held at the collapse site, 324 Main Street.
“It is extremely heartbreaking. I cannot express enough love and light towards those families that are involved, that have lost their loved ones in something that could have been prevented on multiple levels,” Justice Jacobs, who lived in the building, said.
Colvin had actually helped Jacobs move her mattress up the stairs when she first moved in. Speaking to NewsNation’s Marni Hughes, Jacobs remembered that Colvin would hold doors open for his neighbors, and was “always nice.”
“Obviously, he had no idea who I was moving in, and he offered to carry a queen mattress, that’s not light, up the stairs,” Jacobs said. “In my eyes, a good guy. Such a loss.”
Davenport Police Chief Jeff Bladel said there is no information at this time indicating additional people are missing. An autopsy will be conducted on all three men, he said at a news conference.
The QC Times wrote that a demolition company, D.W. Zinser, started tearing down debris and removing material from the building on Friday, with crews working overnight and throughout the day in 12-hour shifts.
Because of the structure’s instability, residents have still not been let back into the building. However, even before it fell, tenants had been complaining to the city for years about a host of problems they say were ignored by property managers.
These issues included residents having no heat or hot water for as long as months at a time, as well as mold and water leakage from ceilings and toilets. Records show city officials tried to address some complaints and gave vacate orders to individual apartments, but a broader evacuation was never ordered.
Building owner Andrew Wold, along with other members of the property management team, said in a previous statement that their “thoughts and prayers are with our tenants and families during this difficult time.”
“We have been working closely with the American Red Cross and other agencies to assist the displaced tenants affected by this event,” the statement said.
County records show Davenport Hotel L.L.C. acquired the building in a 2021 deal worth $4.2 million.
As someone who lost everything in the collapse, Jacobs now says she wants answers.
“I don’t understand how so many people that are supposed to be people in charge let this go unnoticed and unattended to when so many people are involved,” Jacobs said. “We need justice for everybody.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
This story is developing. Refresh for updates.
