A third-floor balcony at an off-campus apartment near the University of Cincinnati collapsed Friday night, leaving at least 10 people injured, one of them critically, officials said.
Students from the school were “celebrating” the completion of a “big exam” when the incident occurred in the city’s Corryville neighborhood just after 10 p.m., Cincinnati Police Department Capt. Stephen Bower said during a press conference.
An investigation into the collapse is ongoing, but fire officials said it appears the weight of the individuals gathered on the balcony — which measured 8-by-12-feet — had been too heavy for the structure to support.
The wooden platform fell from the side of the building — located on the 200 block of Stetson Street, near the university’s College of Medicine — and plunged some 20 feet down into the parking lot, according to District Fire Chief Nicholas Caliguri.
Of those injured, one person suffered “life-threatening injuries,” while five other were listed in serious condition, according to local CBS affiliate WKRC. Fire officials said that four other people suffered minor injuries.
Most of the injured are believed to be University of Cincinnati students.
It is not clear how many people were on the balcony at the time of the collapse, and the number of injured could be higher.
“Other victims may have self-transported to area hospitals,” Caliguri said.
