Several people taken to the hospital after roof collapses during party in Oakland
A St. Patrick's Day Party in Oakland collapsed into chaos on Friday afternoon when a porch roof ripped off the side of a home. Dozens of people were on the top of the roof when it buckled and fell onto even more people underneath.
Hundreds of people were at the party at a group of homes on Semple Street and 16 were taken to the hospital. Three of those people were listed in serious condition while the other 13 sustained minor injuries.
All are expected to survive.
Students on the scene told KDKA-TV they had to help pull some students out by lifting the collapsed awning. One student described the scene.
"I was just scared for everybody that was down there," said Dave Rentzel who was at the party. "I was just sitting to the side and I saw it fall down."
"It all just happened in the blink of an eye, the roof just collapsed on us, it felt so scary, I really don't have the words to comprehend how I felt in the moment," said Michael Estocin who was on the roof when it fell.
"It just fell," said Carlton Gbur, who was under the roof when it fell. "Everyone was having fun and then no one was having fun."
According to Pittsburgh Public Information Officer Emily Bourne, she said that there were anywhere between 300-500 students in the courtyard during the collapse.
The scene has since been cleared and the rest of the building has been deemed okay following the collapse but the rear porch area has been condemned.
She also said the students should feel lucky it wasn't worse and the university sent out a memo urging students to stay off of roofs as they celebrate this weekend.
