Rescue teams in eastern Germany continued their search on Tuesday morning for three individuals who remain missing after a building collapsed in the eastern city of Gorlitz, located near the Polish border. The collapse occurred on Monday night, and police have indicated that a gas explosion may have been the cause.
Rescue Operations Underway
Emergency responders have been proceeding with extreme caution at the scene due to the potential for gas leaks, according to the German news agency dpa. Initial efforts to locate the missing using search dogs proved unsuccessful. Around 2 am on Tuesday, rescuers began clearing debris with an excavator and by hand. Police initially feared that up to five people might be trapped under the rubble, but later clarified that this concern was unfounded.
Witness Account
A man who feared his wife and cousin might be trapped beneath the rubble reported that they had arrived on the same day for a vacation in a rented house within the building. While shopping at a nearby supermarket, he heard an explosion and returned to find nothing but a large pile of rubble, as reported by dpa.
Building Details
The collapsed structure, built in the historic Wilhelminian style, contained both rental and vacation apartments, according to police. Gorlitz, Germany's easternmost city with a population of approximately 57,000, is known for its historic and undamaged old town district, which is a popular location for international film productions.
