More than 20 teenagers attending a summer camp in Texas were injured on Thursday, June 8, when a boardwalk collapsed at Surfside Beach.
None of the injuries were considered life-threatening, according to officials from Brazoria County.
The incident occurred at Stahlman Park, Texas, when the campers, aged between 14 and 18, gathered on a section of the elevated wooden walkway to take a group photo. Witnesses and camp organizers reported that the structure suddenly gave way, dropping the teenagers to the ground.
One witness described the sound as resembling a shotgun blast, followed by the sight of teens flying through the air and landing motionless. First responders arrived at the scene within minutes.
The campers, who hailed from Bayou City Fellowship summer camp, had been on a trip to the beachside city located about 60 miles south of Houston. Five of the injured teenagers were airlifted to Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston, while six were transported by ambulance, and another ten were taken to hospitals by private vehicles.
The Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center announced that additional blood supplies were being sent to assist the injured teenagers, and they appealed for donations to maintain adequate levels.
Bayou City Fellowship expressed gratitude for the community’s concern and asked for prayers for all those affected by the traumatic event.
The cause of the boardwalk collapse is currently under investigation.
