1 killed, 1 rescued in collapse of century-old South Dakota building

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Rescue workers found the body of a construction worker Friday evening in the rubble of a building that had collapsed hours earlier in South Dakota’s largest city.

Recovery of the body came hours after authorities managed to pull a woman, injured but alive, from the debris of the brick building in downtown Sioux Falls. The woman, 22-year-old Emily Fodness, was rushed to the hospital, and her family said in a statement that she’s in good condition.

Sioux Falls Fire Rescue Chief Jim Sideras said officials found the body of the man using a search dog. Officials don’t believe anyone else is in the debris.

“After we moved all that rubble, we did find him, and it just didn’t work out for us, unfortunately,” said Sideras, who didn’t identify the man. Rescue workers also pulled the woman’s dog alive from the rubble of the building where she lived.

Sioux Falls Mayor Mike Huether said in a statement that “the family of the young man who passed needs to know they are not alone tonight in their sadness.”

Mike Klatt, 39, was getting coffee across the street when he saw bricks coming down from the top of the building. The bottom gave way, and it collapsed into the street, he said. Klatt said people ran out of the coffee shop to see if anyone was trapped, but nobody was visible.

Sideras said the woman who was rescued had been able to communicate by phone with her mother during the ordeal. He said she couldn’t see daylight so rescue crews knew she was buried deep in the debris.

The building was being converted into a drugstore. The city of Sioux Falls said in a statement that it was built in 1916.