At least 10 people were injured when a balcony collapsed during a student party near the University of Cincinnati, including one person who is in critical condition. This led to an investigation by Cincinnati building inspectors. The incident occurred in a normally quiet residential complex near UC's main campus. The gathering was supposed to celebrate the passing of a university exam, but ended in chaos on Friday evening. A Cincinnati fire chief said the 8-by-10-foot deck collapsed from the weight of too many people and fell 20 feet to the sidewalk below. Bailee Spencer, who lives in the apartment complex, said, “I was just in shock.” Alexa Centers, a UC student who lives nearby, expressed concern, saying, “This is really scary.” She noted that because of her proximity, her family came to check on her at the condo-style apartment on Stetson Street where the collapse occurred. “I think a lot of people talk about it just because it's scary because you never know. There are so many big buildings here with balconies and stuff,” Centers said. Commenting on the incident, local architect Paul Shirley said: “Everything is designed with a safety factor in mind.” He emphasized that regardless of the stability of a balcony, overcrowding can cause significant problems. Shirley said: “So if someone is looking at your face and you're feeling uncomfortable, it's probably not a very safe place for you.” Investigators are working to determine exactly how many people were on the deck at the time of the collapse. It is also possible that people on the ground below were injured when the balcony collapsed. On Monday afternoon, a spokesman for the city of Cincinnati said the building owner must ensure that all of the complex's balconies are structurally sound. In addition, the owner is required to barricade all balcony doors to prevent their use until a security assessment is completed. WLWT's Todd Dykes spoke briefly with a young man at the unit where the deck collapsed, who declined to comment, reflecting the seriousness of the situation. A similar interaction occurred Monday afternoon when a young woman entered the apartment next door.
A balcony collapse during a student party near the University of Cincinnati injured at least 10 people, including one person who is in critical condition, prompting an investigation by Cincinnati building inspectors.
The incident occurred in a normally quiet residential complex near UC's main campus. The gathering was supposed to celebrate the passing of a university exam, but ended in chaos on Friday evening. A Cincinnati fire chief said the 8-by-10-foot deck collapsed due to the weight of too many people, falling 20 feet to the sidewalk below.
Bailee Spencer, who lives at the apartment complex, said, “I was just in shock.”
Alexa Centers, a UC student who lives nearby, expressed concern, saying, “This is really scary.”
She noted that her family reached out to her to check on her because of her proximity to the Stetson Street condominium apartment where the collapse occurred.
“I think a lot of people talk about it just because it's scary because you never know. There are so many big buildings here with balconies and stuff,” Centers said.
Commenting on the incident, local architect Paul Shirley said: “Everything is planned with a safety factor in mind.”
He emphasized that regardless of the stability of a balcony, overcrowding can cause significant problems.
Shirley said: “So if someone is looking at your face and you feel uncomfortable, that's probably not a very safe place for you.”
Investigators are working to determine exactly how many people were on the deck at the time of the collapse. There is also the possibility that people lying on the ground were injured by the balcony collapse.
On Monday afternoon, a spokesman for the city of Cincinnati said the building's owner must ensure that all of the complex's balconies are structurally sound. In addition, the owner is required to barricade all balcony doors to prevent use until a safety assessment is completed.
WLWT's Todd Dykes spoke briefly with a young man in the unit where the deck collapsed. He declined to comment, reflecting the seriousness of the situation. A similar interaction occurred Monday afternoon when a young woman entered the apartment next door.