A 10-storey hotel in Argentina has collapsed, resulting in one death and leaving several individuals trapped under the debris.
Firefighters working to locate survivors successfully rescued a woman from the rubble of the Dubrovnik Hotel in Villa Gesell, a coastal city located 350 km south of Buenos Aires.
The building came down in the early hours of Tuesday, October 29, according to local officials.
Reports indicate that among those feared trapped are workers from a construction site that was allegedly operating without municipal permits at the Dubrovnik Hotel.
Firefighters were able to save an elderly woman from the wreckage, but an 80-year-old man has been confirmed dead, as reported by local newspaper Pagina 12, citing provincial security minister Javier Alonso.
Mr. Alonso stated that there were no guests in the hotel at the time of the collapse, but workers were staying in another section of the building, which was originally constructed in 1986.
Over 300 firefighters, police, and other rescue personnel have been deployed to the scene, with the rescue operation continuing for more than eight hours. Mayor Gustavo Barrera warned that the adjacent building is also at risk of collapsing.
Local officials reported on Tuesday, October 29, that they had detected and halted unauthorized construction work within the building that lacked proper clearance back in August.
A prosecutor has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the collapse, while the municipality of Villa Gesell stated in a press release that the hotel was undergoing renovations without the necessary permits.
Infobae reported that Mr. Alonso mentioned the courts have ordered the arrest of four individuals in connection with the hotel’s collapse.
