In the centre of the American city of New Orleans (Louisiana), the Hard Rock Hotel currently under construction has mostly collapsed. Shocking images of passers-by show that the building first collapsed at the top, after which the structure on the outside falls to the side and over the street.
According to local authorities, at least one person was killed, and at least three were missing.
A total of eighteen injured people were taken to hospitals. At least three more people are said to have been missing, says John Bel Edwards: Governor of the State of Louisiana.
According to local media, around 45 workers were present in the building during the drama, which would have 350 rooms and opened in the spring of 2020. According to photos on social media, the havoc is enormous. The traffic on Canal Street is wholly obstructed because the hotel is scattered over it.
According to eyewitnesses, initially, there was nothing wrong at the construction site. But suddenly I heard the sound of a low approaching plane. It seemed that way. Then I saw concrete slabs on the roof of the hotel begin to slip and end up on the street. “Another witness saw people on Canal Street” running for their lives. “
The fire brigade and police cannot say anything about the causes. “We first focus on looking for victims and let drones fly around to inspect things,” said a fireman spokesman. The huge construction cranes on the roof of the hotel, according to bystanders “rocked to and fro”.
Whether there is a risk of the taps falling over is still unclear. Nor is it clear whether the company that had various contractors built on the building has adhered to prescribed structures and safety requirements.