Locals and families organized a protest this morning but the local police set up a 2-block barrier to prohibit anyone from getting close. Up until a few hours ago, the mayor and township officials were completely silent on what was happening.Five people remain unaccounted for, including two people whose remains may be in a pile of rubble at the site of a partially collapsed apartment building, officials of the city of Davenport, Iowa, said Tuesday.
Mayor Mike Matson confirmed the numbers at a news conference following criticism that the city was moving too quickly toward demolishing the building before making sure that no one is still inside. Protests erupted after a woman was rescued Monday night, hours after the city ordered the demolition to begin as early as Tuesday.
“This could be a place of rest for some of the unaccounted,” Matson said. The city is trying to determine exactly how to bring down what remains of the building in a way that accounts for the dignity of people who may have been killed, he said.
This is what happens when you don't have local (or county) emergency response offices. Not only is there a lack of emergency management overall, but communication about what is going on has been completely overlooked.
I'm speechless.