On April 23 a musical performance held at Westfield High School in Indiana took a wrong turn when the stage filled with students collapsed. When the concert was about to end the performers who were on the stage were supposed to gather at the front of the stage, but when they reached the platform it collapsed and the singers fell into the orchestra pit.
Capitan Charles Hollowell of the Westfield Police Department declared that the exact number of the hurt people it is not yet known, but more than a dozen were clearly injured and at least one of them was in critical condition. Hollowell did not know more about the injuries of the performers, but there were no fatalities reported.
Andrew Baier, a senior who was part of the auditorium when the incident took place, said that he was shocked. He would have never imagined that something like this could have happened at Westfield. Everyone was trying to understand what had just happened, he added. Baier also said that some of them tried to help those who could not take care of themselves. He explained that he helped carrying an injured woman to her car since her leg and ankle were hurt and she had dried blood on her face.
Cameron Snyder, another senior, confessed that he was shocked as well. He talked about what he saw and explained that after the stage had collapsed people rushed to help the performers. According to Mandi McKinley Brown some of the parents also hurried to the stage area. Most of the auditorium remained in their seats so as not to get in the way. The people who rushed to help the teenagers lifted large pieces of stage which were on top of them.
Emergency workers were also called. Chief at the Westfield Fire Department, Joe Lyons, reported that there were multiple injuries. Several ambulances were needed in order to transport the injured.
“We have some seriously injured people. Not one hospital is going to be able to handle this many patients.”
Andy Cook, Westfield mayor, said that they would investigate the cause of the accident and make sure it does not happen again. HR director at Westfield High, Chris Baldwin, said that the school will provide guidance counselors for those who will experience trauma after the accident. He added that the school wants to make sure that the students can rely on them for help.
Image Source: NBC News
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