Tragic Hotel Collapse in Germany's Moselle Valley: Two Dead, One Trapped

A hotel in Germany's Moselle wine valley collapsed, killing two people and trapping one. Rescuers are working to free the trapped guest. The collapse, which occurred during busy summer season, has prompted an investigation into whether construction work on the building played a role.

A hotel in Germany's picturesque Moselle wine valley collapsed overnight, killing two people, local police said on Wednesday. Rescuers are working urgently to extricate one remaining guest who is trapped in the rubble. One woman's body was recovered, but emergency responders have not yet been able to reach the body of the second victim, a male, rescue operation chief Joerg Teusch told reporters.

Six people were rescued during the day in a complex operation as the building became unstable after its upper floor caved in late on Tuesday, authorities reported. Prosecutors said construction work had taken place on the building earlier that day. The hotel, built in the 17th century and renovated in the 1980s, partially collapsed, making the rescue efforts precarious.

The trapped guest, identified by a Reuters witness as staying at the Reichsschenke 'Zum Ritter Goetz,' has serious injuries but is in touch with rescuers, said police. Among those rescued was a two-year-old child, uninjured, and the child's parents, with whom rescuers established contact overnight.

'I have never been so happy to see a stranger's child,' Teusch said, describing the tearful moment his team carried the toddler from the damaged building. The cause of the collapse remains unclear. However, state prosecutor Peter Fritzen said his office opened an investigation to determine any possible third-party liability for the deaths. The probe will also scrutinize details of Tuesday's construction work.

Some 250 police officers, firefighters, and paramedics were deployed to the site in the town of Kroev, a popular holiday destination. Emergency services used a crane and sniffer dogs to assist their efforts. The incident, occurring during the busy summer season, left 21 people in nearby homes evacuated, revising previous counts. The historic hotel, named after a medieval knight commemorated in a Goethe play, was often frequented by tourists enjoying the region's wine taverns.