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Rescuers search on for person trapped in N.J. parking garage rubble

HACKENSACK, N.J. — Rescuers were digging through the debris of a partially collapsed parking garage today, hoping to find at least one person who was trapped after a glass canopy attached to a high-rise condominium building fell onto the underground structure two stories below.

A car was pulled from the rubble about 11 p.m. Friday, more than 12 hours after the collapse, but there was no immediate word on whether anyone was inside.

Using a remote camera and a robot earlier in the day, rescuers could see one victim in a car on the first level down but couldn't get to the person because they were concerned about the possibility of another collapse at the three-story garage, Hackensack fire Lt. Stephen Lindner said. They could not determine the victim's condition.

Lindner said late Friday night rescuers held out hope that the person was still alive. They needed to clear debris and shore up the structure before attempting a rescue.

"We still consider this a rescue mission," Lindner said.

Authorities were checking out whether a second person might also be trapped. Surveillance cameras detected another car on an exit ramp two levels down around the time of the collapse, but rescuers were unable to determine if someone was inside.

Neither car was completely flattened.

The garage pancaked when the canopy fell on it, damaging vehicles.

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