1 person was killed after a Hard Rock Hotel in downtown New Orleans collapsed. A number of people have been injured and 3 people are still missing.
Images and videos of the disaster show the top floors of the building falling to the ground, creating a huge cloud of dust.
The under-construction hotel is located on Canal Street, which is a popular tourist destination and is located in the heart of the city.
Authorities rushed to the scene and confirmed the death of one person and a number of injured people.
3 people are still missing.
Tim McConnell, the spokesperson of the New Orleans Fire Department, said the structure of the upper Hard Rock Hotel building is still unstable.
According to an eyewitness, “It was a deep, rumbling sound, like an airplane maybe. It drew my head immediately. It looked like the concrete just slid from the top all the way down to the street.”
The witness added, “The concrete just started to slide down the side.”
The eyewitness said one guy managed to survive even after rubble fell all around him.
The emergency response authorities have urged locals and tourists to avoid the entire area, as the structure of the building is still not steady.
The new Hard Rock Hotel was going to open in the spring of next year.
It was supposed to have 350 rooms for hotel guests and 62 one and 2 bedroom condos for purchase.