Iowa agency rules finds deaths of three men in Davenport building collapse were accidental

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s health agency has determined that the deaths of three men crushed in the collapse of a downtown Davenport building were accidental. 

The finding released Monday by the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services says 42-year-old Branden Colvin Sr., 51-year-old Ryan Hitchcock and 60-year-old Daniel Prien suffered multiple crush injuries and “mechanical asphyxiation.” That term is used to indicate that an object or body position prevented a person from breathing. 

The partial collapse of the century-old, six-story brick building on May 28 near Davenport’s riverside also injured several people and displaced dozens of people. An investigation is being conducted to determine the cause of the deadly collapse.