Louisville, KY dramatic 2nd floor deck collapse hospitalizes 4 people
Deck collapse attorneys note that several people received injuries when a 2nd floor deck took a sudden plunge to the ground. A large wooden deck snapped out of place with a noise like thunder and sent 4 adults tumbling to the ground just minutes after they had stepped out on the structure. The sudden deck failure ripped away part of the wall to which it was attached. And now the door that led out to the deck looks out upon a sheer drop, debris, and devastation. (Sources: Brittany Gonzalez, whas11.com, and Heather Smith and Matt McCutcheon, wave3.com, 7/29/2012)
The Louisville deck collapse happened about 6 p.m. on Sunday evening in the Heritage Hills Apartment Complex off of Shelbyville Road in the 11000 block of Olde Sage Court. The force of the sudden deck failure shook the house to which it was attached.
The 4 people on the structure at the time of the Louisville deck collapse received transport to the hospital. Reportedly the 4 fortunately only received minor injuries ranging from bruises to a broken ankle. No one was below the 2nd floor deck when it snapped off the house. Our deck collapse attorneys emphasize that anyone underneath at the time might have received fatal injuries.
Residents say that they had been complaining for months about the deck’s safety and asking that the deck be replaced. And apartment complex maintenance had reportedly replaced some of the decks recently due to safety concerns. Clearly maintenance missed one of the safety hazards in the complex.
News accounts of the Louisville deck collapse say that a building inspector was at the complex on Monday to check the safety of several other decks. Our deck collapse attorneys wonder if the inspection analysis will give a clearer picture of things and indicate what went wrong.
On the balconies and decks still standing nearby, one can see that they require a large area of floor space to rely on one or two wooden posts, some of which appear to be leaning slightly. The posts look somewhat aged, and like they sit upon the surface of the ground rather than being anchored securely in below ground.
Photos indicate that the deck snapped cleanly off of one side, but tore the wall on another side. The deck might have been poorly connected to the building on the door side. It might have been weakly attached to the ledger board, or have been attached without a ledger. And water, rot, and weakened timber might have weakened structural supports and connections throughout the deck.
Outdoor structures are vulnerable to wear from many factors that don’t strongly affect the inside of a property. And thorough yearly inspections and maintenance are keys to maintaining deck safety. Your landlord has a duty to provide you with a place to live that is safe and free from hazards.
Learn more about landlord duties, negligence, injuries that can result, and what you can do about them in the linked article by our experienced deck collapse attorneys about a horrific balcony collapse in Denton, TX.