On Friday, workers began demolishing a hotel in the German town of Kröv in the southwestern state of Rhineland-Palatinate to recover what is believed to be the last body beneath the rubble.
On the night of Tuesday, the Hotel Reichschenke “Zum Ritter Götz” collapsed. Two people died and several others were initially trapped.
The remaining body is probably that of the hotel owner, police said. The body of a woman has already been recovered.
Heavy machinery was brought to the banks of the Moselle on Friday to demolish the building, starting with the gable wall.
Investigations ongoing
An expert decided to demolish the building after rescue workers were unable to reach the remaining body even after two days.
Cracks were also found in neighboring buildings, police said. However, it is unclear whether these cracks are related to the collapse of the hotel or whether they were there beforehand.
The Hotel Reichschenke Zum Ritter Götz was built in the 17th century and extended upwards in the 1980s.
According to local authorities, the part of the building that separates the original structure from the modern extension has collapsed.
The Trier public prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation.
zc/rmt (dpa, AFP)
