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American Morning

Cameraman Shares Story and Video of Wedding Hall Collapse

Aired May 28, 2001 - 09:12   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Ten people are now in custody in connection with the collapse of a wedding banquet hall in Jerusalem. Twenty-three people were killed, at the least 250 were injured when the floor of a dance hall suddenly gave way last week.

The horrifying scene was captured on tape by David Amromin. He's a cameraman who was filming the wedding. He's joining us this morning from Jerusalem.

Mr. Amromin, hello. Thanks for joining us.

DAVID AMROMIN, CAMERAMAN: Hello. Thank you.

KAGAN: First, can you explain to us how you came to be at this wedding in the first place? Were you hired to shoot this wedding?

AMROMIN: Yes, I was hired to shoot this wedding -- that's it.

KAGAN: Along with some other colleagues as well?

AMROMIN: I was...

Yes.

KAGAN: And can you describe the reception up and to the point of the collapse?

AMROMIN: It was really regular. It's -- it was not very special something but it's -- it was a common atmosphere of people who were gathering to wedding, and it ended in disaster.

KAGAN: And we're showing the video right now as it's happening. I don't think that you can see it. But it's the part and the floor just gave way. What happened -- what did you think was happening when that took place?

AMROMIN: I was making a -- circles outside of the people who were dancing. And then I didn't know that in the first place when I was filming it but after that when I saw the shooting that you saw now, I saw that the people coming down -- starting to go down, slowly, slowly and then everything had fall down.

KAGAN: I think that the incredible thing is that you kept rolling -- you kept shooting. Why did do you that? How did you know to do that?

AMROMIN: I think it was an instinct. I didn't prepare for that. I think it's instinct every cameraman who films a thing like that to keep filming. And I didn't know exactly what am I filming because I was walking with some fear on all of that.

KAGAN: What about your other colleagues? What happened to them in the collapse?

AMROMIN: He was standing in front of me on the other side of the dance floor, and he was -- I saw them plunging down with the camera. But he get it for OK. He got some bruises and some punches but not very hard.

KAGAN: So, he survived and he's OK. How did he describe it from his end...

AMROMIN: He's OK.

KAGAN: ... with falling through the floor? How terrifying was that?

AMROMIN: I don't really know how to describe it because we're trying not to talk about it very much.

KAGAN: I can understand.

AMROMIN: But...

KAGAN: Now actually happened and the floor gave way, did you think it was some kind of terrorist attack?

AMROMIN: No, I didn't think that, because I felt that the floor was tilted a little.

KAGAN: Oh, even before it happened, you noticed that the floor was tilted a little bit?

AMROMIN: Yes.

KAGAN: Were you hurt at all?

AMROMIN: I was not hurt in any way physically.

KAGAN: And we reported that 10 people are now in custody, might be charged with a crime in construction -- in connection with the shoddy construction that many people believe are responsible for this accident. What do you think should happen to those people?

AMROMIN: I don't know what should happen to these people and what will happen to these people. But I hope that they will find out the truth and who is responsible for it will get what he has to get for it.

KAGAN: Do you imagine this is going to affect you for the rest of your life? AMROMIN: What is say, I didn't hear it?

KAGAN: Do you imagine this will affect you for the rest of your life -- witnessing this -- being part of this incredible disaster?

AMROMIN: I don't know yet. I hope not.

KAGAN: David Amromin. Incredible pictures. Tragic pictures and it tells the story as no other way could do that.

Thank you for sharing your pictures and your time with us, sir.

AMROMIN: Thank you.

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