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CNN Sunday Morning
Deck Collapse Kills 11
Aired June 29, 2003 - 07:01 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.
KELLI ARENA, CNN ANCHOR: Another story we are following this morning, the tragic late night collapse of a crowded deck in Chicago. Jeff Flock joins us now with the latest -- Jeff.
JEFF FLOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kelli, good morning to you. In the alley back behind where that took place here this morning on the north side of Chicago, perhaps you can see we don't have a great view, but at least you can see where it did take place. You see what is left of that deck.
What happened is that's a three -- or was a three story deck. Some people call it a porch out behind an apartment building here on the north side of Chicago, just east of the Depaul campus and neighborhood. The first of the -- the third floor, I should say the top floor that apparently collapsed, pancaking down. There was a party going on at the time with people both above and below that collapsed deck. And perhaps just like if you're able to pull on out, you see some of the police officers and fire officials also. Upwards of 100 rescue personnel at one point.
Here are the latest numbers as we have them, as perhaps we take a look at the scene from last night. It was 11 dead and 35 injured. At this point, we've got one of the more critically injured people who has also since died. We're now at a death toll of 12. And it's 34 injured. 10 of those are critical.
I've got a couple of folks with me who were on the scene here last night. It was a scene of chaos that's coming to us from those pictures, but you experienced it. What was it like for you, sir?
JAMES JOHNSON, WITNESS: Total confusion, total mayhem. People just in total shock, not knowing exactly what to do, what was going on. You had people who were injured, trying to figure out what was wrong with them. And friends of partygoers that were at our establishment, trying to find friends. So you just had people wandering and falling over themselves, just trying to figure out what to do.
FLOCK: Right, you were at work at the bar, just a caddy corner across the street. Come this way, James if you would and Rick. These folks who were at the scene last night. And we're seeing the edge of it here, but it appears that top floor pancaked on down.
JOHNSON: Yes, my understanding from the patrons that came in, most of the people were partying on all levels of the deck. And the top structure caved in. And the people underneath pancaking on them and continuing on downward, as -- from the pressure from all the people.
FLOCK: Now Rick Fromeyer, you were there as well across the way, trying to help out as best you could. We talked about these porch decks have a habit of giving way here. This one, though, with people both on and below it was a terrible scene.
RICK FROMEYER, WITNESS: Yes, I came on the scene after it happened. Heard all the sirens, commotions. Came and saw a whole bunch of wounded -- pretty seriously wounded people. So I ran to the bar and got a whole bunch of bags of ice, as well as some linen towels and basically came over and started, you know, wrapping ice bags and wrapping extremities of those who were injured, arms, a lot of neck injuries, a lot of leg injuries, a lot of blood.
FLOCK: Rick, I'm going to pause you one second. I'd like to ask you, go ahead and give folks a live picture there, because they brought another -- a fire -- a truck back in. They've been taking debris away it looks like to me this morning, both as evidence, as well as to clear that scene?
JOHNSON: Yes, there was a lot of wood. A lot of the structure just as it caved in. And I think the people underneath probably took the worst brunt of it. We spent more time just trying to pacify the crowd, take care of as many people as we could.
FLOCK: And had people trying to locate each other. It was a chaotic scene. Gentlemen, stand by with me, if you would. Kelli, there you see the live picture from the north side of Chicago. As we said, these sorts of things, a deck, porch collapses have happened before, but nothing with this kind of a death toll and this kind of damage -- Kelli?
ARENA: Jeff Flock, thanks very much for that report.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired June 29, 2003 - 07:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KELLI ARENA, CNN ANCHOR: Another story we are following this morning, the tragic late night collapse of a crowded deck in Chicago. Jeff Flock joins us now with the latest -- Jeff.
JEFF FLOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kelli, good morning to you. In the alley back behind where that took place here this morning on the north side of Chicago, perhaps you can see we don't have a great view, but at least you can see where it did take place. You see what is left of that deck.
What happened is that's a three -- or was a three story deck. Some people call it a porch out behind an apartment building here on the north side of Chicago, just east of the Depaul campus and neighborhood. The first of the -- the third floor, I should say the top floor that apparently collapsed, pancaking down. There was a party going on at the time with people both above and below that collapsed deck. And perhaps just like if you're able to pull on out, you see some of the police officers and fire officials also. Upwards of 100 rescue personnel at one point.
Here are the latest numbers as we have them, as perhaps we take a look at the scene from last night. It was 11 dead and 35 injured. At this point, we've got one of the more critically injured people who has also since died. We're now at a death toll of 12. And it's 34 injured. 10 of those are critical.
I've got a couple of folks with me who were on the scene here last night. It was a scene of chaos that's coming to us from those pictures, but you experienced it. What was it like for you, sir?
JAMES JOHNSON, WITNESS: Total confusion, total mayhem. People just in total shock, not knowing exactly what to do, what was going on. You had people who were injured, trying to figure out what was wrong with them. And friends of partygoers that were at our establishment, trying to find friends. So you just had people wandering and falling over themselves, just trying to figure out what to do.
FLOCK: Right, you were at work at the bar, just a caddy corner across the street. Come this way, James if you would and Rick. These folks who were at the scene last night. And we're seeing the edge of it here, but it appears that top floor pancaked on down.
JOHNSON: Yes, my understanding from the patrons that came in, most of the people were partying on all levels of the deck. And the top structure caved in. And the people underneath pancaking on them and continuing on downward, as -- from the pressure from all the people.
FLOCK: Now Rick Fromeyer, you were there as well across the way, trying to help out as best you could. We talked about these porch decks have a habit of giving way here. This one, though, with people both on and below it was a terrible scene.
RICK FROMEYER, WITNESS: Yes, I came on the scene after it happened. Heard all the sirens, commotions. Came and saw a whole bunch of wounded -- pretty seriously wounded people. So I ran to the bar and got a whole bunch of bags of ice, as well as some linen towels and basically came over and started, you know, wrapping ice bags and wrapping extremities of those who were injured, arms, a lot of neck injuries, a lot of leg injuries, a lot of blood.
FLOCK: Rick, I'm going to pause you one second. I'd like to ask you, go ahead and give folks a live picture there, because they brought another -- a fire -- a truck back in. They've been taking debris away it looks like to me this morning, both as evidence, as well as to clear that scene?
JOHNSON: Yes, there was a lot of wood. A lot of the structure just as it caved in. And I think the people underneath probably took the worst brunt of it. We spent more time just trying to pacify the crowd, take care of as many people as we could.
FLOCK: And had people trying to locate each other. It was a chaotic scene. Gentlemen, stand by with me, if you would. Kelli, there you see the live picture from the north side of Chicago. As we said, these sorts of things, a deck, porch collapses have happened before, but nothing with this kind of a death toll and this kind of damage -- Kelli?
ARENA: Jeff Flock, thanks very much for that report.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
