Poor Maintenance Blamed For Deadly Deck Collapse

POSTED: 11:29 a.m. EDT August 10, 2003 UPDATED: 11:56 a.m. EDT August 11, 2003
NEW YORK -- Poor maintenance and construction were both factors in the collapse of a wooden deck in Queens that killed one woman and injured three others on Saturday night.

Six people were standing on the lower deck on 221st Street in the Bayside section at about 6:45 p.m. when it gave in and pulled down the upper deck along with it.

Maria Avendano, 68, was killed in the collapse. She had been attending a birthday party there.

Officials said the two-tiered deck was nailed to the house rather than bolted and the wood was soaked with water. Summonses for failure to obtain a building permit were given to the deck's owner Gerson Mendoza before the incident occurred.