An entire floor in the hotel located in the town of Kröv, Rhineland-Palatinate, collapsed late on Tuesday. On Wednesday morning police said that two people were confirmed to have died while seven others were buried in the rubble. As of midday Wednesday, five were reported to have been rescued, leaving two still trapped. Rescuers managed to reach these last two and pull them to safety by Wednesday evening.

Around 250 rescue workers and volunteers were on the scene trying to pull people from the debris safely. Rescue workers said the operation was difficult due to the extent of the damage and the moving structure. 

The alarm was raised around 10:55 pm on Tuesday. 

READ ALSO: Two dead and several people trapped after hotel collapse in western Germany

What happened during the rescue operation?

Two people – a man and a woman – from the nine caught up in the collapse are confirmed to have died.

Rescue spokesperson Jörg Teusch said it is believed they died during the collapse. 

By the middle of the afternoon, police said six people had been rescued, including a two-year-old child.

“I’ve never been so happy to see a stranger’s child,” said Teusch during a press conference on Wednesday. He said everyone had tears in their eyes after the rescue. 

At around 5 pm on Wednesday, one person was still trapped in the building, but rescue workers managed to get in communication with her and safely remove her by Wednesday evening.

Rescue teams were initially in contact with those trapped overnight via smartphones. Over several hours, rescuers used heavy equipment to gain access and drill a hole. After drilling, microphones were attached, which made it possible to maintain contact.

Authorities said a total of 14 people were in the hotel at the time. Five were able to escape unharmed when the floor collapsed.

Rhineland-Palatinate’s State Premier Alexander Schweitzer and Interior Minister Michael Ebling visited the scene of the accident, offering condolences to the victims’ families. 

Police said it was an “extremely demanding” rescue mission.

“Due to the extent of the damage, this is an extremely demanding operation, as the building can only be entered by the emergency services with the utmost caution,” police said in a statement at the time.

The spokesperson for the technical operations management of the Bernkastel-Wittlich district, Gregor Zehe, added: “The rescue is incredibly difficult.”

In total, around 250 firefighters, paramedics, police and helpers from the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) were on site. There are also special forces, rescue dog teams and drone units.

What happened?

The gable roof of the two-storey building collapsed and appears to be leaning, compressing the two floors on one side of the building. Windows have been smashed and debris are strewn around.

Locals reportedly heard a loud bang and saw clouds of dust late on Tuesday. They called the emergency services who rushed to the scene.

One guest told regional broadcaster SWR that he had been in the bathroom of his room when the floor gave way and sank beneath him.

Emergency services cordoned off the area around the hotel as they worked to get into the hotel to save the trapped people.

Around 21 residents from the immediate vicinity were evacuated from their homes. 

What caused the collapse?

It was initially unclear how parts of the building suddenly collapsed. 

The 17th century building was renovated in the 1980s and extended, reported SWR. a concrete ceiling was installed to support the other floors. According to senior public prosecutor Peter Fritzen, there had been construction work in the hotel the day before. However, the cause of the collapse still has to be clarified. 

The emergency services were supported by structural engineers during the challenging rescue.

The Moselle river region is a popular tourist destination in Germany, known for its stunning vineyards and castles.