WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — At least 28 people were injured Friday night when a back deck collapsed at a home in Williamsburg during a party associated with William & Mary’s homecoming weekend, prompting a large emergency response. City officials said none of the reported injuries were life-threatening.
The incident occurred at a residence in the 200 block of Matoaka Court, where police and firefighters responded to a report of a structural collapse at approximately 10:07 p.m.
According to a Saturday morning update from the city, emergency crews transported 13 people to area hospitals. Another 15 people reportedly sought medical treatment on their own.
William & Mary confirmed that students were among those injured at the off-campus residence. The university said it was continuing to gather information and noted that the number of students who received medical care could change as more details became available.
Neighbors Describe Large Emergency Response
Neighbors told WAVY that a homecoming party was taking place when the back deck gave way. One resident described a scene filled with emergency vehicles and ambulances as first responders assisted the injured.
“All the way down the street and wrapped around just ambulances and fire trucks,” the neighbor told WAVY, requesting anonymity.
The neighbor also recalled seeing people being moved from ambulances on hospital gurneys and estimated that at least nine ambulances were in the area.
Joshua Wise, who lives next door to the residence, told WAVY that some of his classmates were involved in the incident. He returned home after the emergency response had ended and learned that his housemate had been helping people get home.
“Word was traveling pretty fast,” Wise told the station. “By the time I got back here, the emergency response was over, but I had a housemate who was helping people, trying to help out as much as possible, drive people home, get people where they needed to be.”
Wise said neighbors stepped in to support one another following the collapse.
“We did everything we could to help each other out and I think that that’s beautiful,” he said.
He also praised the first responders who arrived at the scene.
“Thank goodness for the emergency responders,” Wise told WAVY. “They were great. The ambulances and everything got here pretty fast.”
William & Mary Offers Support to Affected Students
In a Saturday message to the campus community, Ginger Ambler, William & Mary’s senior vice president for student affairs and public safety, said the university was working to determine the full impact of the incident.
Ambler noted that additional students may have sought medical attention beyond those initially identified in the reports.
“We are grateful that none of the injuries were life-threatening,” Ambler wrote.
She said university staff from health services, academic departments and student support offices were working to assist students affected by the collapse.
“We recognize that such an experience may affect our students deeply and in different ways,” Ambler added.
The university’s response reflects the potential impact of the incident beyond the immediate physical injuries, as students and others who attended the gathering process what happened.
Investigation and Site Inspection Underway
Local police and firefighters responded to the collapse, while Williamsburg officials worked with area hospitals to confirm the number of people who received treatment.
The city’s Codes Compliance Division is evaluating and inspecting the property. Officials have not identified a cause for the deck collapse in the information provided.
The inspection is expected to help officials assess the condition of the site and determine whether further action is necessary.
The incident remains under review as city officials and the university continue gathering information about the people affected and the circumstances surrounding the collapse.
