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A hotel building in Kröv, Germany partially collapsed on Tuesday night killing two people and trapping several others. There were 14 people in the building in Kröv at the time of the collapse, a fire department spokesperson said on Wednesday.
While the building is still partially intact, it is moving by 4 millimeters (0.16 inches) an hour, so rescue operations are proving to be difficult.
As the ceilings of the hotel have collapsed, police said, a core drill is being used from above to try and access the people in the rubble.
A man and a woman have died, and three people are trapped, Trier Police said at a news conference Wednesday. One of the bodies had not yet been recovered. The trapped people have been able to contact police by phone, so authorities know where in the building they are located and what condition they are in.
Around 250 firefighters, paramedics, police and technical relief workers, including special forces, rescue dog teams and drone units, are on site.
Police said the cause of the collapse is not yet known. Construction was being carried out on the building until Tuesday, police said.
As reported by local broadcaster SWR, the damaged building in western Germany dates back to the 1600s.The lower part of the building dates from the 17th century, while the two upper floors were added in 1980, according to Trier Police. 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.
Lewis Musonye
