A ten-storey hotel collapsed in Argentina, sparking a search for survivors, with up to nine people feared trapped under the rubble.
The Dubrovnik hotel building collapsed early Tuesday morning in the coastal city of Villa Gesell, in the province of Buenos Aires, the local municipality said in a statement.
Between seven and nine people, including workers from a construction site that was allegedly operating without city permits, were believed to be inside at the time, he said.
Rescue teams are currently removing debris to free those trapped, Villa Gesell authorities said, adding that the municipality stopped construction work at the site in August of this year.
Dramatic aerial images show a pile of rubble where the building stood among other high-rise blocks.
A drone view shows the remains of the Dubrovnik hotel after it collapsed in the coastal town of Villa Gesell, Buenos Aires.
Spectacular aerial images show a pile of rubble where the building stood among other high-rise blocks.
An image of the 10-story hotel complex before the collapse Tuesday morning
The complex is located near the center of the coastal town and a stone’s throw from its beach.
Hugo Piriz, the town’s fire chief, said they were looking for “between 7 and 9 people” in the rubble.
“Work is underway to rescue a woman who says there is another person next to her,” he said in an interview with the TN news channel.
“At this time, although it is not possible to speak with exact details about the collapse, it can be confirmed that the structure in the collapsed part (the rear part) would have been modified illegally and irregularly,” the city council said.
‘The municipality of Villa Gesell asks residents and the media to be cautious with any information that may circulate,’ the statement continues.
‘These are key moments in which work is being done to prevent the loss of human life.’