A hotel under construction in New Orleans has reportedly collapsed, killng one person.
Local news outlets have reported that construction workers had to run to safety Saturday morning as the Hard Rock Hotel came crashing down.
The venue has been under construction for the last several months, according to The Associated Press.
It was not immediately clear what caused the collapse. However, local reporter Ramon Vargas tweeted shortly after the incident that “New Orleans EMS says at least 3 people being taken to hospital as a result of this.” The conditions of those transported was unknown and more hospitalizations were possible, he said.
Two hours later, he tweeted that there was a confirmed fatality of a construction worker, 18 hospitalizations as well as three workers who were still unaccounted for.
Via officials at press conference: 1 dead, 18 hospitalized, 1 hurt but refused transport, 3 missing. All contractors. https://t.co/N6d2ZXImES
— Ramon Antonio Vargas (@RVargasAdvocate) October 12, 2019
Video footage from a video sent WWL-TV shows upper floors beginning to fall on top of each other before one side of the building fell to the ground below.
The structure then descends into a thick, dusty mass.
INCREDIBLE VIDEO: Viewer video from Michael Dalle captures the moment the construction site for the Hard Rock Hotel collapsed on Canal Street Saturday morning. No injuries reported. Stay with WWL-TV for more. pic.twitter.com/AxkbniBrZI
— WWL-TV (@WWLTV) October 12, 2019
Thick dust subsequently surrounded nearby streets.
The hotel was scheduled to open in the spring on the city’s busy Canal Street, according to the AP.
