BRIGHTON, Mass. — New body camera footage shows the moments after a deck railing collapsed a Boston College off-campus residence in Brighton back in March.
Two students sustained injuries.
One victim sustained an injury to the back of his head and was observed to be bleeding a small amount, while the other reported back and neck pain following the fall.
According to a police report from the Boston Police Department, officers arrived on scene around 6:44 p.m. and found two individuals who were receiving medical attention by the fire department.
“He’s in and out....he’s lost consciousness,” an officer can be heard saying in the newly released video.
In the police body camera footage, one of the victims can be seen laying on the ground while the other one is sitting in a chair.
Several witnesses on scene said a small group had gathered in the backyard of the residence to consume alcohol and smoke.
The witnesses explained that they were using the second entrance of the residence to move between the backyard and the kitchen area to retrieve food, beer, and other beverages from the fridge.
At the time of the incident, both victims were standing near the entrance while conversing and holding drinks when the railing gave way.
“Without warning, a section of the railing, estimated to be about six to eight feet in length, suddenly broke away,” the police report states.
“As a result of the structural failure, both victims lost their balance and fell from the elevated egress onto the paved driveway below.”
Witnesses stated that both victims struck the pavement with significant force, landing on their backs and back portions of their heads.
One of the officers observed the railing and portions of the entrance to be in poor condition. Nails securing the railing to the deck were noticeably short and heavily corroded. The wood also appeared to be deteriorated and rotten in several areas, although it had been covered with pain to conceal the damage.
“It’s just nail, no screw. The nail came right off,” an officer is also heard saying.
The video also shows authorities using caution tape to rope off the deck.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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