LOS ANGELES, May 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A rented residential balcony collapsed near California’s city of Los Angeles on Saturday, leaving at least 11 injured, according to local officials and media reports.
The collapse took place on a rocky beach in Malibu, a city west of Los Angeles, at about 5:30 p.m. local time (0030 GMT on Sunday), and a group of people fell over jagged rocks and large boulders three to 4.5 meters below the colony, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Among the injured, two in critical conditions were immediately sent to trauma centers, four with moderate injuries were also hospitalized, and five more were treated at the scene, the department said.
Media reports said that around 15 people were standing on the balcony deck when the incident occurred, who were reportedly attending a large social gathering.
According to local NBC news channel, the homeowner said she rented the home for the weekend with a limit of six people inside, but neighbors called to tell her around 30 people were there. She said she was on the phone ordering the tenants to leave when the collapse occurred.
The incident caused traffic on Malibu’s main road artery to Los Angeles after several first responders rushed to the scene.
Aerial images of the damage show splintered wood and the balcony structure reduced to rubble and crashed into the large rocks below.
As a precaution, the home is being “red-tagged” so that come Monday building inspectors can properly evaluate what happened. — NNN-AGENCIES