8 Hospitalized In Ellicott City Deck Collapse: Officials

ELLICOTT CITY, MD — A deck collapsed in Ellicott City Saturday afternoon, sending eight people to area hospitals, officials said. All of the victims had injuries that were believed to be non-life-threatening, according to the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services.

After 4:30 p.m., crews said they were dispatched to the 4900 block of Bonnie Branch Road, where 911 had received multiple calls for a report of a deck collapse.

There were approximately 20 people on the 20-by-40-foot structure when it collapsed about 12 feet to the ground, officials reported.

Howard County fire and rescue officials categorized the event as a "mass casualty incident," so additional equipment, firefighters and paramedics would be sent to assist. More than 40 firefighters and paramedics responded to the scene, where medics triaged people to determine what kind of care they would need based on their injuries.

By 5:20 p.m., officials reported they were working to get the victims to hospitals, all of whom had injuries believed to be non life-threatening.

Three people were taken to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center, officials said.

Five were taken to a local hospital, according to Howard County fire and rescue personnel. All of those who were hospitalized were believed to have sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

Photos of deck collapse courtesy of the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services.