TENNESSEE - 23 INJURED

23 injured after night club deck collapse

By Jessica Oakley

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee, Feb. 25, 2008 (NBC) -- More than twenty people plunged to the ground when a deck collapsed at a night club in Chattanooga, Tennessee Saturday night.

The rear deck at Club Deep Blue tumbled six feet, dropping partygoers with it.

At least 23 were injured.

According to security at the club, a large group was waiting to enter the club when the accident happened.

Fire crews assisted Hamilton County EMS with approximately 23 patients.

Most of injuries involved legs, ankles, and backs.

Some people had more serious injuries and had to be taken by ambulance to an area hospital.

A city bus was called to carry the less seriously injured to hospitals.

The official cause of the collapse is under investigation.

Chattanooga fire marshals and a city building inspector are assessing and reviewing the damage

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CHANNEL 5 ACCOUNT

Club Deep Blue's Deck Collapses Injuring Two Dozen

Feb 25, 2008 06:09 AM

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - A deck collapse at an east Tennessee night club injured more than two dozen people.

The incident happened late Saturday night at Club Deep Blue in Chattanooga.

Police said the deck fell about 6 feet - injuring at least 25 people.

Most of the injuries were minor, but one person was treated for a broken ankle.

Fire marshals and the city building inspector said they are working to determine the cause of the collapse.

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INSPECTORS FIND THE CAUSE

Inspectors Find Cause for Deck Collapse

Tanya Mendis

February 25, 2008 - 4:11PM

Building inspectors and fire marshals returned to the scene of a deck collapse at a Chattanooga nightclub on Brainerd Road. Just before midnight Saturday night, the rear deck collapsed, sending dozens of people plunging to the ground.

A spokesperson for the fire department says it appears about 100 people were on the deck waiting for the doors of the club Deep Blue to open.

Fire Marshal Craig Haney says it appears the construction of the deck was faulty. He says the bolts that hold the deck to the wall were spaced too far apart. Haney says the construction simply wasn't adequate to hold the weight of so many people.

Medics transported 23 club-goers to the hospital with ankle, leg and back injuries. A CARTA bus was called in to transport many of the walking wounded.

The owner of the building, Randy Braswell was at the club today however he declined to talk to reporters.

Floyd Kilpatrick, who identified himself as Braswell's legal advisor, says that they had a carpenter examine the deck just a few weeks ago, after they began using that entrance more frequently.

Haney says he would have expected a carpenter to notice the signs of the problem.

Kilpatrick says he hopes to have the club up and running again as soon as possible, but Haney says that probably won't be any time soon.

The damage to the back of the building was so significant that the top level of the club will not be able to be open, or else it would be a violation of fire codes. The collapse also caused damage to the heating and air units and until an electrician makes the necessary repairs, Haney says the club cannot reopen.

Haney says Deep Blue can continue to operate the first level on a limited capacity.

City code inspectors are continuing their investigation, however, a spokesperson for the city of Chattanooga says Braswell never got the proper permits to build an addition to the back of the building. Richard Beeland says Braswell has not had an inspection done on the outside of the building for at least 10-15 years, but it appears he recently built a new staircase leading to the now-collapsed deck.

Braswell has not been cited, but Beeland says the investigation is ongoing.

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FOLLOW-UP

Fire Marshall closes club after deck collapse

Posted: Feb 26, 2008 06:27 AM

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) -- Chattanooga Fire Marshall Craig Haney says the night club where a deck collapsed and injured at least 25 people never had a permit for any upstairs renovations.

Haney told WRCB-TV that club Deep Blue that there's "no way" the club will reopen unless they hand him a letter of approval from a structural engineer that deck is strong enough.

Police said that about 100 people were standing on a wooden deck waiting to enter the club when it collapsed and fell about six feet late Saturday night, causing minor injuries to about 25 people.

Deep Blue's representatives say they hope to reopen on Friday after meeting building codes.

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