The family of Branden Colvin Sr tragically confirmed his death on Saturday after he was found in the collapsed six-story apartment building in Davenport, Iowa, which had experienced a partial collapse on May 28.
Branden Colvin Jr, his 18-year-old son, had been anxiously waiting outside the building, hoping for news about his father.
In an interview with ABC News, Colvin Jr expressed his helplessness, saying, “I know my dad’s in there, and there’s nothing I can do… wishing I could just run in there.”
City spokeswoman Sarah Ott announced on Sunday that Colvin Sr’s body had been recovered on Saturday.
Two others still missing
Colvin Sr was among the three individuals, including Ryan Hitchcock and Daniel Prien, who were still unaccounted for and were considered highly likely to have been present in their apartments within the collapse zone when the incident occurred.
This tragic event marks the first confirmed fatality in the building collapse, which also caused injuries to at least one individual. Quanishia “Peach” Berry, who was rescued from the rubble, had to undergo a leg amputation to facilitate her extraction.
Residents and local residents have voiced criticism of officials, alleging an inadequate response both before and after the building collapse.
Prior to the incident, a structural engineer’s report, dated four days earlier, had warned of the imminent risk of a wall crumbling, but neither the building owner nor city officials issued any warning to the residents.
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Rescue teams initially pulled out seven people from the collapsed building and escorted 12 others to safety.
Later on, two additional individuals were rescued, including a woman who was saved from the fourth-floor hours after the building had been cleared and marked for demolition.
