The search for three missing persons continues following the collapse of an apartment building in Görlitz after a suspected gas explosion. "The search has absolute priority," Octavian Ursu (CDU), mayor of the Saxon city, told journalists on Tuesday. The missing individuals are two women and one man. "We are in contact with the relatives and hope for the best," said Criminal Director Raik Schulze.
The missing persons are two Romanian tourists aged 25 and 26, and a 48-year-old man with Bulgarian and German citizenship who was in Görlitz for work-related reasons. Initially, five people were reported missing. Two of them were later found safe and well. They had not been in the building at the time of the collapse.
One man, fearing his wife and cousin were trapped beneath the debris, recounted that the pair had only just arrived for a vacation stay in the rental property. While he was shopping at a nearby supermarket, he heard what sounded like an explosion. Upon rushing back, he discovered the entire structure had been reduced to rubble.
The destroyed building, constructed in the historic Wilhelminian architectural style, housed both long-term rental units and short-stay vacation apartments, according to police.
Specialists from the fire brigade, rescue services, and police remain deployed at the scene. According to operations commander Sebastian Schramm from the professional fire brigade, debris must be lifted manually during the search to uncover potential cavities with gas accumulations.
These operations are extremely time-consuming. The deployment may extend into the night. Immediately adjacent buildings are not at risk of collapse. The criminal police will investigate the cause of the collapse after rescue operations conclude.
According to police reports, the building on James-von-Moltke-Straße in downtown Görlitz collapsed late Monday afternoon. Due to a possible gas leak, the accident site was evacuated over a wide area. This included adjacent buildings. Fifty-four people were temporarily cared for and accommodated.
A large contingent of emergency workers remained at the collapse site, including more than 40 specialists from the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) on Friday. According to the THW's regional branch, these specialists were monitoring surrounding buildings with sensors for safety reasons. A total of ten houses were currently evacuated, and there was still a risk from escaping gas. The situation was described as "unclear and dynamic," and the strain on the emergency responders was high.
Görlitz, located on Germany's eastern border, is home to approximately 57,000 residents. The city is renowned for its well-preserved historic old town, which has served as a backdrop for numerous international film productions due to its authentic period architecture.
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