# Deck collapse...4 people hurt



## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

Not much details, they didn't say how many people were on the deck
Deck collapsed....looks like it pulled away from the house
They say the wood was rotted
I could see a ledger connection
But not much details as far as what was rotted or caused the collapse
No critical injuries
It looked to be ~8 off the ground

Check your decks if they are older


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## Gary in WA (Mar 11, 2009)

Good point, Dave. If you don't mind, I'll add this site: http://www.nadra.org/industry_news/april07_woodbits.pdf

Your deck may be under the 2006 IRC Deck Code: http://www.awc.org/Publications/DCA/DCA6/DCA6-09.pdf

And the extras: http://www.awc.org/Publications/DCA/DCA6/Deckarticle.pdf

Gary


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## kenmac (Feb 26, 2009)

in my area there were 2 decks that fell at an apartment complex. 1 person killed several seriously injured


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

My last house the deck was basically on the ground
Hot tub deck was maybe 2' up...posts every 4'

I think many people have a deck & never check it
I never really thought 2x about decks at Apts....
Now if I go over a house with a deck off the ground I'm wondering how it was built & if its secure


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## Thurman (Feb 9, 2009)

While visiting with my sister who is a real estate agent recently: She asked me to go look at a house she was going to put on the market. There was a deck on the rear, with a sloping lot, and this deck was at least 11 ft. above ground. YEP, you guessed it. Someone had just attached a ledger board to the house using only nails. The ledger board was up against vinyl siding and nails drive through everything. There was serious discoloration around each nail and what looked to be, from the ground, some wood rot at each nail location. I'm betting the nails have rusted away. I advised her to stay away from this house, to bring this to the attention of the seller because this needs to addressed before selling. Sister calls me about two weeks later and tells me they had repaired the deck and she went over to look at it. The painted over the ledger board-Period! David


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## n0c7 (May 15, 2008)

Balcony just collapsed in my area - same concept as a deck. Dude was celebrating his birthday, not quite the gift he asked for. Minimal injuries, no fatalities.










http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story/2010/09/13/edmonton-balcony-collapse.html


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