Nearly 70 people fall when floor collapses during wedding
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TMX
TAMWORTH, N.H. (TMX) — An investigation is underway after nearly 70 people fell through a floor that collapsed during a wedding in New Hampshire over the weekend, officials said.
The New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office said Tamworth Fire Rescue personnel responded to The Preserve at Chocorua in Tamworth at around 4:33 p.m. Saturday following reports that the floor had collapsed during a wedding. Callers reported that more than 100 people were in attendance when the floor collapsed into the basement, trapping multiple people under beams and farming equipment.
Crews arrived to find venue staff and wedding guests had already used ladders to help some of the victims and had begun providing first aid.
Firefighters began evaluating patients at the scene and requested assistance from nearby fire departments.
Six adults were transported by ambulance to hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, and four were released the same day. Multiple other victims were treated at the scene.
Investigators from the fire marshal’s office responded to the scene to lead the investigation in coordination with Tamworth Fire Rescue.
Officials said preliminary investigation indicates 144 guests were in the venue’s Sap House building when the floor collapsed.
About half the guests, nearly 70 people, fell through the approximately 20×20-foot opening in the floor. Investigators believe the building was over capacity when the floor collapsed.
Investigators are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact the New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office at (603) 223-4289 or fmo@dos.nh.gov.