Emergency workers in eastern Germany are desperately searching for three individuals who disappeared after a residential building collapsed in the city of Görlitz, near the Polish border, on Monday night. Authorities suspect a gas explosion may have triggered the incident.
Rescue Efforts Underway
Rescue teams from the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) have been using their bare hands to sift through the mountain of rubble at the scene. According to German news agency dpa, responders proceeded with extreme caution due to the risk of further gas leaks.
After initial attempts to locate the missing using search dogs proved unsuccessful, rescuers began clearing debris with an excavator and by hand around 2 a.m. on Tuesday. Police initially feared that up to five people might have been buried under the rubble, but later clarified that three individuals remain unaccounted for.
Eyewitness Account
A man who feared his wife and cousin were trapped under the debris told dpa that the couple had arrived that day for a vacation in the rented house. While he was shopping at a nearby supermarket, he heard a loud explosion and returned to find the building reduced to a pile of rubble.
Police spokesperson Anja Leuschner confirmed to Deutsche Welle that the building was used as rented accommodation and holiday homes. Neighbouring houses were evacuated, and structural engineers were dispatched to assess the damage, according to Bild.
Historical Context
The collapsed building, built in the historic Wilhelminian style, contained both rental and vacation apartments. Görlitz, Germany's easternmost city with a population of 57,000, is known for its well-preserved old town, which is a popular location for international film productions. The incident has shocked the local community, and rescue operations continue as hopes fade for finding survivors.
