New Orleans Fire Chief Tim McConnell says one of the bodies that has been trapped in the Hard Rock Hotel collapse site is likely to be recovered by the end of the week and the other by the middle of next week. McConnell says the rubble is very delicate and potentially dangerous to recovery workers.
“The goal is to try and chip that stuff down delicately so that we leave the remains intact where they currently are. Obviously, I always stress that this is a very dangerous and unstable building and if things start to shift, that could change,” said McConnell.
It’s been ten months since the construction site partially collapsed, killing three. McConnell says the length of the recovery has tested the patience of recovery workers.
“Because of the amount of debris that the victims are under, we would not have taken this long, we’re over ten months now. It’s very frustrating for rescue workers who do this for a living,” said McConnell.
Rescue workers had thought that it was going to be possible to recover the two bodies last week, but more hurdles got in the way that could have an impact on the current timeline too… weather.
“Cranes have to stop when lightning starts, if it gets within so many miles. Obviously it is a concern and it slows the process down. We lost about a day and a half last week alone with bad weather,” said McConnell.
Starting tomorrow, the area will be deemed a no-fly zone to keep drones away.
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