The removal of two bodies trapped inside the collapsed Hard Rock hotel in New Orleans has been delayed, New Orleans Fire Chief Timothy McConnell said at a press conference on Friday.
The recovery of at least one of the bodies was supposed to have happened this week, but McConnell said problems with the equipment and the weather caused a delay. He said the company in charge of the recovery did not provide a new timeline.
While speaking to the media, McConnell said the team’s problem is a robot that would be used to remove hanging debris and keep first responders safe.
The families of the victims have been notified of the delay.
McConnell: We meet with contractors / owners every day and urge them to provide us with the information so that we can provide information to families and the community. We were informed until Tuesday that they believed recovery would occur this week.
– Jeff Adelson (@jadelson) July 24, 2020
McConnell said Wednesday was the first indication that the bodies would not be removed this week.
Earlier this week, a crane began swinging a wrecking ball on the collapsed building in an effort to clear the way to the victims. Pieces of metal fell to the ground and passers-by stopped to take pictures during one of the most visible signs of progress in demolishing the hotel since October.
The 18-story hotel under construction on Canal and North Rampart streets collapsed on October 12, killing three workers and injuring many others. One body was recovered but the other two were trapped inside the remains that authorities considered too unstable to search.
The teams hoped to reach the body of Quinnyon Wimberly this week and then the search for the body of Jose Ponce Arreola.
The lead-up to the recovery and demolition effort has been painstakingly slow, with months back and forth between the city and the site’s owning group, 1031 Canal Development LLC, on the best method to safely tear down the building and reclaim the workers. it remains.
The delays sparked widespread anger and sparked protests earlier this year that the bodies remain trapped inside.
The victims’ remains will be turned over to the coroner’s office, which will make a positive identification and then turn them over to their families, McConnell said.
This is a developing story.
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