11 people were hospitalized after the deck of a Tennessee waterfront restaurant collapsed while a birthday party was being held Saturday afternoon, per ABC News. Two individuals suffered critical injuries, while the rest are considered to be non-critical.
More than 40 people were reportedly posing for a photo on the wooden deck of the Zois Harbor Lights Restaurant in Soddy-Daisy, when the structure gave way shortly before 4 p.m., leaving some trapped underneath the deck. “Damages are unknown at this time,” Hamilton County Building Codes officials said. “Hamilton County Building Codes has been notified and will inspect the deck to find the cause of the collapse.”
Hamilton County EMA spokesperson Amy Maxwell told Chattanooga-based News Channel 9 that the interior of the restaurant wasn’t affected by the collapse. Sondra Teligades, who attended the party and was treated for a concussion and rib contusions, remembers being on the deck and hearing a crackling noise before falling roughly two stories down.
An investigation into the incident has been launched.
