Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds toured the site of a collapsed six-story apartment building in Davenport on Monday morning, not long after city officials announced that three bodies had been pulled from the rubble over the past three days.
The police chief said Branden Colvin Sr.’s body was recovered Saturday. The body of Ryan Hitchcock was recovered Sunday and Daniel Prien early Monday. City officials had said earlier that Colvin, 42; Hitchcock, 51; and Prien, 60; had “high probability of being home at the time of the collapse.”
Reynolds tweeted later that the state is providing support and resources while working with city officials.
“Thank you to the first responders for putting their lives at risk to help their community,” she wrote.
The building, built as a hotel in 1907, had been converted into about 80 apartment units that were home to roughly 50 people.
As officials were announcing the recovery of the bodies, the first of what could be numerous lawsuits by residents and their families was filed. Tenant Dayna Feuerbach is accusing the city of Davenport and the building’s current and former owners of knowing of the deteriorating conditions and failing to warn residents of the risk.
The lawsuit alleges multiple counts of negligence, seeks unspecified damages and notes that additional suits are likely.