NEW ORLEANS – Crews recovered the body of one of two construction workers trapped nearly 10 months ago in the collapse of a Hard Rock Hotel under construction in New Orleans.
Family saw as the remains of Quinnyon Wimberly, 36, were lowered from the complex using a platform and a crane, The Times-Picayune / The New Orleans Advocate reported. Sobbing relatives huddled on the spot for 15 minutes as Mayor LaToya Cantrell and New Orleans firefighter Tim McConnell stood by.
There was no immediate word on when crew members would extrude the remains of the other worker, Jose Ponce Areola, 63. Crews have yet to reach the area on the 8th floor of the structure, where they expect to find his body, authorities said.
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The remains of Anthony Magrette, 49, the third worker killed, were removed the day after the private construction ceremony last October 12th. His twin sister, Angela Magrette, was standing with Wimberly’s family on Saturday when Wimberly’s remains were removed from the structure around 10:45 a.m.
The Hard Rock hotel, which was under construction in New Orleans, is seen after a collapse that killed members of its construction team.
“This family we actually made our family. I have to be here for them,” she said. “It’s torture. You live on October 12 every day, knowing that people are not yet being held accountable.”
Plans to remove the bodies have been hit with several delays. Representatives for 1031 Canal Development, the owner of the project, said they had problems finding insurance and a demolition contractor on the site, as well as bad weather.
Once the last body is removed, authorities said, they plan to demolish the building soon because the city is in the middle of a new hurricane season. Officials have said they hope to reduce the structure to October, a year after the first raid. The cause of the column remains under investigation.
Cantrell and firefighter McConnell spoke to reporters just after noon, saying Saturday was a difficult day but ultimately a good one.
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“This has been a long journey,” Cantrell said halting and with tears on her cheeks. ‘But the longest journey has been for the families most affected by this collapse. (It was a) long time to get Quinnyon Wimberly out of the building. It was an unforgettable wait. ”
Cantrell and McConnell said the next step is to remove Ponce Areola’s body, which the chief said would be much more difficult and complex than the process involved in removing Wimberly’s remains.
