A college homecoming celebration turned chaotic Friday night when a back deck collapsed at a residence in Virginia, resulting in injuries to at least 28 individuals and prompting a swift response from emergency services.
William & Mary acknowledged that several students were among those hurt at the off-campus location in Williamsburg. Fortunately, all injuries were reported as non-life-threatening, according to officials from the city.
Dispatchers received a call about the collapse shortly after 10 p.m. on Matoaka Court. When police and firefighters arrived, they found the back deck had indeed collapsed.
Emergency services transported 13 people to local hospitals, while another 15 chose to seek treatment on their own, as noted in a Saturday morning update from the city.
Residents reported to WAVY that a homecoming party was ongoing when the collapse occurred, with one neighbor describing emergency vehicles filling the street.
“There were ambulances and fire trucks all the way down the street,” the unnamed neighbor told WAVY. “We could see multiple gurneys being brought out of the ambulances. At least nine ambulances were wrapped around.”
Joshua Wise, a neighbor, mentioned that some of his classmates were involved in the incident. He returned home after the emergency response had concluded but found out that his housemate was assisting others in getting home safely.
“The word spread pretty quickly,” Wise remarked. “When I got back, the emergency response was finished, but my housemate was busy helping out, driving people home, just making sure everyone was taken care of.”
Wise expressed gratitude for how the neighbors came together following the frightening event.
“We did everything we could to help each other, and I think that’s really beautiful,” he commented.
In a message sent to the campus community on Saturday, Ginger Ambler, the university’s senior vice president for student affairs and public safety, mentioned that they were still gathering details. She also indicated that more students might have sought medical attention beyond those initially reported.
“We are thankful that none of the injuries were serious,” Ambler added. “Our staff across various support offices are available to assist the impacted students.”
Wise emphasized his appreciation for the emergency responders. “Thank goodness for them,” he said. “They were really quick to arrive.”
Local police and firefighters responded, and city officials were working with nearby hospitals to confirm the total number of individuals treated. The city’s Codes Compliance Division is currently assessing and inspecting the site.
