Engineer previously cited issues with building before collapse, documents show

June 1 (UPI) -- A structural engineer who previously investigated the building that collapsed in Davenport, Iowa, had found that it was in need of repairs, according to documents that the city published.

David Valliere from Select Structural Engineering reported seeing "a localized area of brick [that] is cracked and crumbling" on the west exterior wall of the six-story property on Feb. 2.

When Valliere did a follow up visit at the end of February, he said that "the mason pointed out that the area immediately to the north of the work area has a large and potentially dangerous void beneath the façade wythe of clay brick."

"These large patches appear ready to fall imminently, which may create a safety hazard to cars or passersby," Valliere wrote in a letter dated May 24. "The owner has already blocked off the area with cones and has begun removing drywall from the inside of the wall to get a view of what might be happening."

The entire back of the apartment building on 324 Main Street collapsed shortly before 5 p.m. Sunday, with responders initially rescuing seven people from the joint residential-commercial structure with a dozen others having self-evacuated, authorities said during an evening press conference.

Nine survivors had been rescued as of Monday, including Lisa Brooks, who spent 24 hours hiding inside the partially collapsed building before first responders found her.

On Thursday, officials announced that only three people remained missing. According to ABC News, police said that two of the people are inside an apartment building in an area "not sustainable for life."