Photos: Hotel under construction collapses in New Orleans

A Hard Rock Hotel under construction at the edge of New Orleans’ historic French Quarter collapsed Saturday morning, leaving at least one person dead and three unaccounted for, authorities said.

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By Chevel Johnson | Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS — A Hard Rock Hotel under construction at the edge of New Orleans’ historic French Quarter collapsed Saturday morning, leaving at least one person dead and three unaccounted for, authorities said.

Nearby buildings were evacuated and officials said the building and a 270-foot (82.3-meter) construction crane still looming over the site were considered unstable. It was not immediately clear how that would affect search and rescue efforts. A drone was flown over the site to help authorities assess the situation.

Evacuees included guests at a hostel across the street from the damaged building. “I heard a huge noise and thought it was a plane crashing. Then, the hostel shook,” guest Sue Hurley, 68, told The Associated Press. Another hostel guest, Michael Arbeiter, 30, from Munich, Germany, said he was just getting out of the shower when the room shook. “I’m not sure what happened but they told us to get out of here,” he said.

The building was under construction at the corner of Rampart Street and Canal Street, a broad boulevard just outside the Quarter, lined with restaurants, hotels and retailers. Canal, which carries six lanes of traffic divided by a wide median where streetcars roll, separates the Quarter from the city’s main business district.

Authorities say 18 people were taken to a hospital for treatment. All were considered stable.

Associated Press reporter Kevin McGill contributed to this report.