Several Injured After Deck Collapses With Nearly 30 People On It In Sea Isle City
SEA ISLE CITY, N.J. (CBS) -- Eyewitnesses say more than two dozen people were packed on a Sea Isle City deck when it gave way. Neighbors say it's a miracle nobody was killed.
Out of the nearly 30 people who were on the deck when it collapsed, only a few were badly hurt. On Thursday night, the deck still lays on the ground in pieces.
"We heard the nails creaking, we heard the wood splintering and we heard boom," one witness said.
So many vacationers staying by 77th street in Sea Isle walked by the home to get a glimpse of the deck that suddenly came crashing down.
Eyewitness video shows medics rushing to the home. Neighbors say up to 30 people were partying on the deck when it collapsed around 1:30 a.m. Thursday.
"It completely boggles me to see something like that," Suffern, New York native Jamie Walter said.
Walter is visiting Sea Isle City. He just turned 21 and was celebrating across the street just as he heard the crash. He immediately ran over to help pull people out of the debris.
"There was some guy stuck underneath the table and all the chairs. He was completely squished by everything," Walter said.
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From above, DroneWatch3 shows the height of the deck before it dropped two stores. One girl broke her ankle, another suffered a concussion.
"It's a shame something like that happened," Mt. Laurel, New Jersey Frank Sciorinto said.
"Mainly we want to make sure everyone is OK," Cinnaminson, New Jersey native Jennifer Blake said.
Sea Isle City police are still trying to figure out what led to the collapse.
In front of the broken pieces of the deck is a sign that reads "life is better at the beach." That certainly wasn't the case Thursday, and the home is now deemed unsafe.
