Firefighters Recall St. Matthews Deck Collapse

(LOUISVILLE, Ky., July 1st, 2003, 10 a.m.) -- City officials investigating a weekend porch collapse that killed 13 people determined that the owner did not have proper construction permits to build the structure. At least 57 people were injured. Local authorities are now warning people to avoid overcrowding outdoor decks and balconies during the upcoming holiday weekend. Justin Wilfon reports.

An Evansville, Indiana native was among the 13 killed when the balcony collapsed. On Monday 25-year-old Margaret Haynie's name was placed on a white cross along with the names of other victims.

Investigators say the balcony was built in 1998 and a preliminary examination finds that it was structurally sound.

The collapse happened about 12:30 a.m. Sunday as about 50 people were crammed onto an apartment's third-floor porch for a party. The floor suddenly dropped, sending people and debris crashing to the ground.

The incident has prompted questions about the safety of porches and whether weight limits should be posted. Authorities are now warning everyone of the possible dangers.

An incident similar to what happened in Chicago over the weekend happened on June 15, 2002, in St. Matthews. It's a day St. Matthews firefighters remember all too well.

On that night, a deck at the Jamestown of St. Matthews apartments collapsed, buckling under the weight of the 20 people standing on it, sending many plummeting 15 feet to the ground below.

Several people were seriously injured.

"You basically have a large number of people that were at a graduation party having a good time, drinking and having fun and the next thing they know their whole night is just thrown into chaos," said St. Matthews Fire Captain Frank Flynn.

St. Matthews firefighters weren't surprised by the porch collapse in Chicago, saying if decks aren't inspected periodically, they can become unsafe.

In both the Chicago and St. Matthews cases, inspectors believe there were simply too many people and not enough support.

In the past year, the deck at Jamestown of St. Matthews was rebuilt, and it received the stamp of approval from Jefferson County inspectors. Another engineer says every deck on the property is safe.

To avoid a deck collapse the fire department has these tips. Make sure the person who built the deck is qualified. You can check with the Home Builders Association on that. Also, check your deck for wood rot or rusted metal, key warning signs of structural weakening. And make sure your deck is securely fastened to your house.

Finally, don't overload your deck or porch. As we have seen, that can spell disaster.