St. Patrick’s Day frat party turned into chaos after a roof collapsed on top of dozens of revelers, injuring at least 16 people.
Up to 500 students were partying in a courtyard near the University of Pittsburgh when a rooftop full of students collapsed underneath them.
Video circulating social media showed nearly two dozen students clad in bright green sitting on the shingled rooftop, with more people hanging out on the porch underneath, as a large crowd bumped to the music during the celebration.
Out of nowhere, the backend of the roof sunk in, detaching from the Semple Street building, and sending the students flying backward before the stabilizing poles in the front finally give up too.
A unison of of screams echoed through the crowd as one girl yelled out: ‘Oh my god! The roof!’
Students immediately began lifting the structure to help people get out from underneath it.
Three were taken to the hospital in serious condition, while 13 others had minor injuries, including concussion and arm wounds, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
They are all expected to survive.
Up to 500 students were partying in a courtyard near the University of Pittsburgh when a rooftop full of students collapsed underneath them
Out of nowhere, the backend of the roof sinks in, detaching from the Semple Street building, and sending the students flying backward before the stabilizing poles in the front finally give up too
‘It felt so scary,’ Michael Estocin (right), who was on the roof, said. Three were taken to the hospital in serious condition, while 13 others had minor injuries
‘It felt so scary,’ Michael Estocin, who was on the roof, told CBS News. ‘I really don’t have the words to comprehend how I felt in the moment.’
‘It just fell,’ Carlton Gbur told CBS News. Gbur had been under the porch when the roof collapsed. ‘Everyone was having fun and then no one was having fun.’
‘I was just scared for everybody that was down there,’ Dave Rentzel, who was at the party, but not near the roof, told the outlet. ‘I was just sitting to the side and I saw it fall down.’
The university had warned students ahead of the weekend to avoid standing on rooftops.
The Department of Permits, Licenses, and Inspections deemed the rest of the building to be structurally sound, according to CBS.
A girl was seen being loaded up into an ambulance Everyone injured is expected to survive their injuries.
Another was seen getting a neck brace fitted before heading to the hospital
There are plenty of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Philadelphia, including the annual parade that will take place on Sunday.
Plenty of cities are expecting to see a surge of green-wearing drinkers ready for a green beer and full of Irish spirit.
Many local places in Philadelphia are preparing for the incoming bar crawl, according to local outlets.
