At least one person was killed when a 10-storey building collapsed in Argentina’s Buenos Aires province early Tuesday morning, Argentine media reported.
The incident occurred around 1 a.m. local time at the Apart Hotel Dubrovnik building, located at the intersection of Buenos Aires Street and Avenue 1 in Villa Gesell, a seaside resort town in Buenos Aires province.
The municipal government of Villa Gesell confirmed in a statement that “a man was found dead” and an 80-year-old woman was rescued and taken to the municipal hospital. The total number of victims was not specified. Between seven and nine people were in the building at the time of the collapse, including workers who were carrying out work to install a lift. Ten people are reported missing.
More than 300 people are involved in the rescue effort, including volunteer firefighters, police, medical personnel, civil defence teams and road services.
Rescuers have also deployed sniffer dogs to search for survivors and victims, focusing on the neighbouring building and the main collapse site. In addition, a probe equipped with a camera was used to explore hard-to-reach areas under the rubble.
Hugo Piriz, head of the rescue operation, said that about 80 per cent of the hotel building had collapsed. He said rescuers were able to make contact with two women who are under the rubble.
An investigation into the collapse is underway and four people linked to unauthorised construction have been detained at the scene.
Villa Gesell is a popular tourist destination, especially from December to March, during the Southern Hemisphere summer. And the Apart Hotel Dubrovnik, known for its ship-shaped facade, was considered an iconic landmark in the city, local newspaper Pagina 12 reported.
