There are reports of one person dead and several others possibly trapped in rubble after a hotel collapsed in Argentina.
The 10-story Dubrovnik hotel in the coastal city of Villa Gesell collapsed early on Tuesday, according to Reuters news agency, citing the local municipality.
It is believed that up to 15 people were inside the hotel, which had been undergoing renovations recently.
Rescue teams are on site trying to free those trapped. Local media reported that an 80-year-old man died as a result of the incident.
Local authorities stated that construction work at the hotel had been stopped in August at the municipality’s request, as the renovations were being done without the proper permits.
However, neighbors told reporters that work on the building had continued despite the suspension order.
Argentina’s national security minister, Patricia Bullrich, announced that two specialized teams had been dispatched to the scene in Buenos Aires province.
She mentioned that structural engineers, rescue experts, and a dog team trained for collapsed buildings were present, along with personnel equipped with specialized machinery and resources to assist in the rescue operation.
The province’s security minister, Javier Alonso, informed local radio that four bricklayers working at the site had managed to escape the collapse and were taken into custody by the police.