A homecoming celebration at William & Mary turned into a rescue operation Friday night when a residential deck collapsed under the weight of party attendees, injuring at least twenty-eight people in Williamsburg, Virginia.
The incident occurred shortly after ten o’clock in the evening on the 200 block of Matoaka Court, near the university’s campus. Emergency dispatchers received reports of a structure collapse, and responding police and fire units discovered the home’s back deck had given way beneath the crowd.
City officials confirmed that all reported injuries were non-life-threatening, though the scope of the emergency response was significant. Thirteen individuals required ambulance transport to area hospitals, while another fifteen sought medical treatment independently in the hours following the collapse.
William & Mary acknowledged that students were among the injured at the off-campus residence. The university’s senior vice president for student affairs and public safety, Ginger Ambler, addressed the campus community Saturday morning, offering support to those affected.
Witnesses described a substantial emergency response that stretched throughout the residential neighborhood. One neighbor, who requested anonymity, recounted the scene to local media outlets. The individual reported seeing ambulances and fire trucks lining the street, with at least nine ambulances deployed to the location. Hospital gurneys were observed being removed from emergency vehicles as crews worked to assess and treat the injured.
Joshua Wise, who resides adjacent to the property where the incident occurred, said some of his classmates were involved in the collapse. Though he arrived after emergency personnel had completed their initial response, Wise learned that his housemate had remained on scene to assist those affected. He noted that information about the incident spread rapidly through the student community.
Wise praised the neighborhood’s response to the crisis, emphasizing the collective effort to provide assistance. Residents worked to transport individuals who needed rides and ensured people reached their destinations safely in the aftermath of the collapse.
The incident occurred during homecoming weekend, traditionally a time of celebration and alumni gatherings at colleges and universities across the nation. Such events often draw large crowds to both on-campus and off-campus locations.
Structural failures of residential decks, while not common, have resulted in injuries and fatalities in previous incidents nationwide. Building codes and inspection requirements vary by jurisdiction, and older structures may not meet current safety standards.
As of Saturday morning, city officials had not released information regarding the age or condition of the collapsed deck, nor whether any investigation into building code compliance would be forthcoming. The cause of the structural failure remains under examination.
The university has not disclosed how many of its students were among the injured or provided details about the nature of their injuries. William & Mary’s administration has indicated that support services are available to affected students as the campus community processes this frightening incident.
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