Iowa building collapse: Woman rescued after 24 hours

A woman has been pulled from the rubble of a building in Davenport, Iowa, more than 24 hours after it partially collapsed, local media report.

Lisa Brooks, 52, was rescued from the six-storey building on Monday evening after hiding under a sofa, her family told NBC News.

She was able to call for help after the phone in the unit she was stuck in started working again, relatives said.

Nine people have been rescued since Sunday's incident, according to NBC.

Seven were rescued from multiple floors immediately after its collapse on Sunday, while twelve were able to walk out of the building on their own, the city's fire chief Michael Carlsten said.

An eighth person was rescued earlier on Monday and was taken to hospital to be treated for her injuries, Mr Carlsten added.

Ms Brooks was found after local newspaper the Quad City Times reported that authorities had sent out a press release stating that the demolition of the building was expected to start on Tuesday.

In a more recent release, Davenport City said the timing of any demolition work was still being evaluated, but added that the building was "structurally insecure and in imminent danger of collapse".

Some people gathered outside the building - which housed 84 apartments and businesses - on Monday to protest apparent moves to demolish it, citing worries that there may be people who could still be alive and trapped in the building. Some people planned to protest again on Tuesday.

Antoine Smith Sr told the Des Moines Register he was waiting to hear news of his aunt and friend, who both lived in the building.

The city said on Monday evening that after "extensive rescue operations, no confirmed viable signs of life" have been found, adding that the police had also been working to make contact with and account for all the individuals known to have been residents in the building at the time of its collapse. Its most recent update gave no more information on whether they had all been contacted.

The cause of the building's collapse remains unclear, but a gas leak and substantial water damage have been discovered, authorities said.