Collapse of the Hard Rock Hotel in Downtown New Orleans

Abstract

Introduction:On October 12, 2019, an 18-story building under construction collapsed in downtown New Orleans. Three construction workers were killed in the incident and their bodies were trapped in the rubble of the unstable structure.Method:This presentation includes public information on how and why the structure collapsed, the timeline of events for the protracted response, and feedback provided by the Urban Search and Rescue medical team about their experience and lessons learned.Results:The scene included a partially collapsed building still under construction, two construction cranes that were destabilized in the incident, two major roadways that required closure, several surrounding buildings impacted by debris, multiple injured workers, and three missing workers later determined to be deceased. Only two of three deceased individuals were able to be located on scene. One victim was safely recovered one day after the collapse. One victim was partially visible to the public but in an area of extreme danger to responders. His recovery required partial deconstruction of the building, which was significantly delayed due to safety, infrastructure, legal, and insurance concerns. The body of the third victim was located and recovered on day 310 of the response.Conclusion:The prolonged demolition of the Hard Rock collapse site resulted in emotional anguish for affected families, public anger about the perceived lack of response, and significant impacts for local businesses in the area. This event offers many lessons learned about prevention and response of urban structural collapse incidents.