The upper floors of a Hard Rock Casino hotel that was under construction collapsed on Saturday morning in New Orleans, killing at least two people, authorities confirmed late Saturday night. One person was still missing, they said.
Response efforts were underway into the night as a crane arrived on scene to “help stabilize the structure” after the collapse.
New Orleans Fire Chief Timothy McConnell told reporters at a press conference on Saturday afternoon that there was a “major collapse” of the top six to eight floors of the building, located at the corner of Cala and North Rampart Street.
Dr. Emily Nichols, the Director of New Orlean’s Emergency Medical Services, told reporters that EMS offered to transport 19 people to the hospital; 18 accepted and were transported and one refused.
Authorities said there were no reports of people injured on the ground. Every known person injured was working on the construction site, they said.
McConnell told reporters that they were worried about another collapse, as the crane on the building was unsupported.
“We’re praying for the individuals who remain unaccounted for,” John Bel Edwards, the governor of Louisiana, had said at the press conference on Saturday. “It is not proper to say at this point that they are trapped, because we don’t know that, although they may be.”
Authorities urged people to follow NOLA Ready on social media, which will tweet out updates.
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