NEW ORLEANS —
Search and rescue crews have one goal right now: Getting out one person they know has died and saving another they hope is still alive.
“Floors collapsed down — getting reports of someone possibly trapped in the building," a dispatcher broadcast to the New Orleans Fire Department.
That 911 dispatch call was one of the first alerts about what was happening at the Hard Rock Hotel on Saturday morning.
Firefighters rushed to Canal and North Rampart streets and scrambled inside.
“On the fifth and sixth floor, we're going to have people up there. We're going to have to get a ladder truck,” the 911 dispatch said.
They searched for anyone who needed to be rescued.
“We're on the 8th floor. We got one person trapped by rubble," a firefighter said. "We're trying to get him out right now. He is still alive.”
And with each passing minute, firefighters went higher and higher.
“We're moving up to the ninth floor. We've got one person heavily trapped. Not sure of condition of victim,” 911 records say.
“We're getting a report from one of the workers there might be someone on the roof. So we're going to head up there,” a firefighter said.
The quick response largely paid off, but on Tuesday, there was still an active search and rescue job at the site.
The goal is recovering the remains of one worker who died and hoping that another who's still missing will be found alive.
“We're hoping for the best,” New Orleans Fire Department Chief Tim McConnell said. “But as this thing drags on, the chances of that diminish.”
It's not an easy task for search and rescue crews. They must move around the building without disturbing it.
Search dogs, drones and equipment used to listen for any signs of life to guide them.
“We believe we got it pinpointed to a particular area that collapsed in the upper decks that you can see,” McConnell said. “So that's where we're concentrating all of our efforts at this time.”
McConnell said that he's hoping for the best outcome, but he also realizes time isn't on his side.
“Rescue is number one. I want to be very, very clear on that. Then recovery of the souls," he said.
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