Eastward Look deck collapses, dozens of URI students injured

9/16/08 - The collapse of a deck at a Narragansett residence sent at least 50 people plummeting 15 feet to the ground Saturday night during a party.Around 11:40 p.m. Narragansett Police responded to 37 Sakonnet Blvd. in Narragansett's Eastward Look neighborhood to find a second-story L-shaped deck had caved-in, crushing a mini-van and injuring dozens.

The deck, constructed in 1988 with pressure-treated lumber, was built in accordance with 1980 building codes.

Narragansett Building Official Anthony Santilli, Jr., who arrived on scene within an hour of the collapse, said there was no question the deck was built correctly.

However, after 20 years, "water and mother nature" weakened the wood. In any condition, Santilli said, the deck was not meant to support that many people.

In his report, submitted to Narragansett's Department of Building Inspection, Santilli said, "It is the opinion of this office that deterioration and rot due to water damage behind the ledger board and overcrowding resulted in the collapse."

Police are still investigating the actual number of people on the deck that night. Building Inspection reports indicate the count was about 60-70.

Party-goers, mostly University of Rhode Island students, flooded the South County Hospital's waiting room after the collapse. Most walked away with minor injuries, however among the more serious sustained were reports of a broken pelvis and a broken jaw.

Junior Laura Kraly said she arrived at 37 Sakonnet about ten minutes before the collapse. She said shortly before, she had felt the deck swaying.

"I heard it crack and I heard a girl scream," said Kraly. Students then tumbled the ground in a pile of wooden beams. Some landed on top of the minivan parked underneath the deck.

"My first reaction was just bend my knees because I knew the impact was coming," Kraly said. The 20-year-old injured her ankle in the fall and has had difficulty walking since.

Those who were inside the house when the fall occurred described the impact similar to an earthquake.

Elyse Gibberman, also a junior, said she doesn't remember the actual fall, but what came after can only be described as "terrifying."

"I blacked out, I don't remember anything," Gibberman said. "I woke up and I was crawling around the wood trying to find the ground."

Gibberman sustained a badly bruised shoulder from the fall.

"I feel like I'm scarred from it. Every single time I daze out I keep thinking like the exact second it happened. I can't get it out of my head."

After the fall, Kraly and Gibberman said they heard a lot of screaming as guests winced in pain trying to get away from the scene.

"Everyone was screaming 'get off the deck,' and all the guys who weren't hurt were picking up wood to make sure no one was under it," Kraly said. "By the screams I thought someone was dead ... or going to be seriously injured."

Both students said police were on the scene within minutes. Shortly after several ambulances arrived, transporting what Gibberman and Kraly estimated to be around 10 guests.

According to URI Police's Major Stephen Baker, South County's emergency room was so packed that URI emergencies were diverted to Westerly hospital.

After the incident, what left many feeling uneasy, especially junior Marissa Fisher, was the fact that this is not the first time a deck has collapsed.

Santilli said in the last five years there have been at least three or four similar incidents.

"You could tell the deck wasn't kept up with," Fisher said. "I don't think landlords care about their houses. They're just renting them to make as much money as possible."

The house's owner, Daniel Fong, resides in N. Attleboro, Mass.