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A deck that appeared to have been recently built, broke off the wall of the house and collapsed in Godfrey, IL., injuring a 90-year-old man and 85-year-old woman. The man was airlifted to a St. Louis trauma center in serious condition, while the woman was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The accident is a reminder of the importance of deck safety, says Clint Webb, Webb Decks, whose business is in Godfrey. “This collapse happened in my area and is literally too close to home,” he said, stressing the importance of deck safety, namely the deck ledger attachment.
“There are a lot of collapses that I hear about, but I’ve never heard of a new deck failing with only two people on it.”
Earlier this month in west Charlotte, N.C., nine people were injured, including one person with life-threatening injuries and another with serious injuries, when a deck collapsed.
The North American Deck and Railing Association (NADRA) is wrapping up their month-long focus on deck safety. Each year, NADRA raises awareness about the importance of checking a deck to ensure failure won’t occur. For more information about deck safety, visit nadra.org.
