At least two folks had been unaccounted-for and thought to nonetheless be inside an condominium constructing that partially collapsed in japanese Iowa over the weekend, officers mentioned on Tuesday, and three extra had been lacking after rescue efforts in current days.

More than a dozen folks had been initially escorted out of the six-story constructing when a part of it collapsed in Davenport on Sunday afternoon, and 7 others had been rescued within the first hour of a search, Chief Michael Carlsten of Davenport Fire Department, mentioned at a news convention on Tuesday. An eighth particular person was present in a secondary search, he mentioned, and a ninth on Monday night time.

Mayor Mike Matson mentioned that 5 folks had been nonetheless unaccounted-for on Tuesday morning, together with two who had been thought to nonetheless be within the constructing. Officials didn’t specify the place the three different folks could possibly be. There have been no reported fatalities. The explanation for the collapse was nonetheless below investigation.

Dozens of individuals protested outdoors the constructing on Tuesday morning amid considerations that the constructing can be demolished earlier than the lacking folks had been discovered.

Officials mentioned that they had been looking for them whereas additionally attempting to maintain emergency medical employees protected as a result of the constructing may collapse at any time.

Davenport’s hearth marshal, James Morris, turned emotional as he talked about how two folks may nonetheless be contained in the unstable constructing.

“It’s extremely difficult when you can’t run up to a pile of bricks and rocks, and just start throwing things off,” he mentioned. “As much as we want to. We want to get everyone out and we want to do it right now.”

Chief Carlsten mentioned that there had been a number of searches of the constructing and that the positioning had been examined utilizing canines, drones, thermal imaging and educated rescuers.

Officials mentioned they had been always evaluating whether or not the constructing would wish to return down in a managed demolition and find out how to make the realm protected for an additional search by emergency medical employees.

Residents grew nervous {that a} demolition of the constructing would possibly happen with folks nonetheless inside. After metropolis officers mentioned at a news convention on Monday that they didn’t know of any remaining folks within the constructing, a lady was discovered alive later that day.

The lady who was rescued on Monday night time had been hiding below a sofa in a portion of the constructing that appeared to nonetheless be intact, according to NBC News.

The mayor mentioned on Monday that firefighters and emergency medical employees saved lives by speeding into the constructing, which has 84 residential and business items.

Firefighters found a big pure fuel leak and a water leak on the constructing, however the reason for the collapse was not instantly identified, Chief Carlsten mentioned on Monday.

Rich Oswald, the town’s director of improvement and neighborhood providers, mentioned on the news convention on Tuesday {that a} structural engineer had offered a report back to the town in January and final week to point out that the constructing was “structurally sound.”

Mr. Morris mentioned that the structural engineer was employed by the proprietor of the constructing.

Larry Sandhaas, a structural engineer working with the town, mentioned that the brick-and-steel constructing was greater than 100 years outdated. He mentioned that the situation of the constructing was “worsening” and that the particles pile was holding up the construction.

The constructing, he mentioned, was in “imminent danger of collapse.”

John Peragine contributed reporting from Davenport, Iowa, and Derrick Bryson Taylor from London.