The house in Athens where more than two dozen people were hurt when a floor collapsed during a party on April 16 has been deemed unsafe for occupancy, according to officials.
“We had a structural failure and it apparently affected more than just the kitchen. Some of the foundation walls are cracked and a couple of exterior walls are buckled,” Athens-Clarke County Building Inspections Director Doug Hansford told reporters Monday.
Around 25 people were injured when the kitchen floor of the home on Magnolia Bluff Drive collapsed into a crawl space beneath them. Injuries ranged from scratches and cuts to a possible broken arm. No one was transported to the hospital by ambulance.
Fire officials estimate there were close to 500 people at the scene. First responders had a difficult time getting to the two-story house because of the large number of vehicles and people blocking the street.
“We are grateful that this unexpected event didn’t turn out any worse than it did,” says Captain Nate Moss of the Athens-Clarke County Fire and Emergency Services Department. “Many times, overcrowding can result in collapses of decks and flooring, especially in older structures. The thing that helped, in this case, was the lack of elevation. These folks should consider themselves fortunate.”
