Kroev: A hotel in Germany’s scenic Moselle wine valley experienced a devastating collapse overnight, resulting in two fatalities, according to local police on Wednesday. Rescuers are working tirelessly to extract the remaining three guests trapped beneath the rubble.
Emergency responders have successfully recovered the body of one female victim. However, they have yet to reach the body of the second victim, a male, as reported by rescue operation chief Joerg Teusch.
So far, four individuals have been rescued, none of whom sustained severe injuries. This complex operation was further complicated by the instability of the two-storey building, which gave way after its upper floor collapsed late Tuesday.
Among those rescued was a two-year-old child, who emerged unscathed, along with the child’s parents. The rescue team was able to establish contact with the family overnight.
Michael Ebling, the interior minister for Rhineland-Palatinate, expressed cautious optimism that the remaining three people could still be saved. Rescuers are proceeding with extreme care due to the risk of additional collapses.
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The cause of the accident remains undetermined. State prosecutor Peter Fritzen indicated that investigations will commence once the rescue efforts are concluded.
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Summer Season
Approximately 250 police officers, firefighters, and paramedics have been deployed to the scene in Kroev, a popular tourist town nestled among the steep, vineyard-covered banks of the Moselle River. Emergency services are utilizing a crane and sniffer dogs to aid in the operation.
This incident occurs during the bustling summer season when the region’s historic wine taverns are frequented by tourists. The hotel involved in the collapse, identified by a Reuters witness as the Reichsschenke “Zum Ritter Goetz,” is named after a medieval knight reputed to have frequented its wood-panelled tavern. The establishment is also noted for its mention in a play by Wolfgang von Goethe.
Investigators believe that 14 people were present in the hotel at the time of the collapse, with five managing to escape without injury. Authorities have evacuated 31 residents from nearby homes as a precautionary measure.
