Hotel Collapse Leaves 2 Dead as Rescuers Raced to Save Guests Trapped Under the Rubble

Mar. 15, 2025

A hotel collapse in Germany on Tuesday, Aug. 6, left two dead and first responders racing to find survivors.The incident happened at a hotel in Kröv, a town on the Mosel River, while 14 people were inside, TheAssociated Press,The New York Times,and theBBCreport, citing local authorities.Although five people got out of the building immediately without injuries, one man and one woman were killed, the outlets reported.While the cause of the collapse remains unknown, a Bernkastel-Wittlich district spokesperson toldThe New York Timesthat the"second floor had collapsed onto the first floor, causing the middle floor to disappear.“Approximately 250 emergency workers, including police, rescue dog teams and firefighters, responded to the scene to help rescue the seven other individuals.Scene of hotel collapse in Germany.Christian Schulz/Foto Hosser/AP“We have to proceed with caution because the entire building structure is like a house of cards. If we pull on the wrong card, this building is sure to collapse,” Joerg Teusch, the fire and disaster protection inspector for the Bernkastel-Wittlich district, said as the rescue mission began on Wednesday morning, per the Associated Press.Scene of hotel collapse in Germany.Florian Blaes//APOne of the first group of people to be rescued were a father, a mother, and their 2-year-old, the outlets reported. The mother had minor injuries, per the Associated Press.Another rescued individual had “serious but non-life-threatening injuries, including broken bones,” according toThe New York Times.Rescuers successfully removed the last person from the rubble, a woman, on Wednesday night.“There was no option (to use) stairs, house entrances, doors or windows, because they were simply no longer there,” Teusch said at a news conference, per the Associated Press.Scene of hotel collapse in Germany.Harald Tittel/APWhile the cause of the collapse remains under investigation, the outlets reported that the original hotel building dates back to the 17th century.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“We all had tears in our eyes and I still feel the same now," said Teusch, per the Associated Press. “The whole story has a very emotional component, because when we arrived, when we looked at the building, it looked like we weren’t taking anyone out.”

A hotel collapse in Germany on Tuesday, Aug. 6, left two dead and first responders racing to find survivors.

The incident happened at a hotel in Kröv, a town on the Mosel River, while 14 people were inside, TheAssociated Press,The New York Times,and theBBCreport, citing local authorities.

Although five people got out of the building immediately without injuries, one man and one woman were killed, the outlets reported.

While the cause of the collapse remains unknown, a Bernkastel-Wittlich district spokesperson toldThe New York Timesthat the"second floor had collapsed onto the first floor, causing the middle floor to disappear."

Approximately 250 emergency workers, including police, rescue dog teams and firefighters, responded to the scene to help rescue the seven other individuals.

Scene of hotel collapse in Germany.Christian Schulz/Foto Hosser/AP

Christian Schulz/Foto Hosser/AP

“We have to proceed with caution because the entire building structure is like a house of cards. If we pull on the wrong card, this building is sure to collapse," Joerg Teusch, the fire and disaster protection inspector for the Bernkastel-Wittlich district, said as the rescue mission began on Wednesday morning, per the Associated Press.

Scene of hotel collapse in Germany.Florian Blaes//AP

Florian Blaes//AP

One of the first group of people to be rescued were a father, a mother, and their 2-year-old, the outlets reported. The mother had minor injuries, per the Associated Press.

Another rescued individual had “serious but non-life-threatening injuries, including broken bones,” according toThe New York Times.Rescuers successfully removed the last person from the rubble, a woman, on Wednesday night.

“There was no option (to use) stairs, house entrances, doors or windows, because they were simply no longer there,” Teusch said at a news conference, per the Associated Press.

Scene of hotel collapse in Germany.Harald Tittel/AP

Harald Tittel/AP

While the cause of the collapse remains under investigation, the outlets reported that the original hotel building dates back to the 17th century.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“We all had tears in our eyes and I still feel the same now," said Teusch, per the Associated Press. “The whole story has a very emotional component, because when we arrived, when we looked at the building, it looked like we weren’t taking anyone out.”

source: people.com