One Dead, Many Trapped as Ten-Storey Hotel Collapses in Argentina

A 10-storey hotel has collapsed in Argentina, resulting in one death and leaving several people trapped under the debris.

Firefighters conducting search and rescue operations managed to pull a woman from the rubble of the Dubrovnik Hotel in Villa Gesell, a coastal city located 350 km south of Buenos Aires.

The building collapsed in the early hours of Tuesday, October 29, according to local officials.

Reports indicate that among those suspected to be trapped are workers from a construction site allegedly operating without municipal permits at the Dubrovnik Hotel.

Firefighters successfully rescued an elderly woman from the rubble, while an 80-year-old man has been confirmed dead, according to provincial security minister Javier Alonso.

Mr. Alonso stated that there were no guests in the hotel at the time of the collapse, but some workers were staying in another part of the building, which was constructed in 1986.

Over 300 firefighters, police, and rescue officials have been involved in the operation, which has been ongoing for more than eight hours.The city’s mayor, Gustavo Barrera, warned that the adjacent building is also at risk of collapsing.

Local officials reported on Tuesday, October 29, that they had detected and halted unauthorized construction work being conducted inside the building without proper clearance back in August.

A prosecutor has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the collapse, and Villa Gesell’s municipality stated in a press release that the hotel was undergoing renovations without the necessary permits.

Mr. Alonso stated that the courts have ordered the arrest of four individuals in connection with the hotel’s collapse.