Two people have died in Kröv, Germany, after a hotel building partially collapsed late Tuesday night, while several others remain trapped under the rubble.
Rescue operations are still underway with more than 200 rescue workers at the scene.
According to local police, there were fourteen people inside the hotel at the time of the incident. A two-year-old child, a man and two women have been rescued so far, German broadcaster SWR reported.
Located near the banks of the Moselle River, the hotel’s roof collapsed at around 23:00 local time (21:00 GMT) on Tuesday, shattering windows as the top floor of the building crashed down onto the floor below.
Five people escaped the building unharmed late Tuesday night, but nine others were trapped under the rubble.
At a press conference on Wednesday, fire inspector Jörg Teusch identified the two dead as a man and a woman, saying they died overnight as a direct result of the building collapse.
About 250 emergency services personnel have been deployed to assist in the rescue effort, including firefighters, police, rescue dog teams and paramedics.
The damaged building in western Germany dates back to the 1600s, local broadcaster SWR reported. The building underwent significant renovations in the 1980s, when an additional floor was added to the existing two-story hotel.
The Moselle Valley is a popular tourist destination, known for its vineyards and picturesque old towns.
A hotel guest quoted by SWR said he was in the bathroom when the floor beneath him collapsed.
Residents living nearby have been asked to evacuate the area amid fears the hotel building could collapse further.
