Deck collapse injures more than 2 dozen William & Mary students

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — More than two dozen William & Mary students were hurt after a porch collapsed at an off-campus home in Williamsburg late Friday, officials said.

Dispatchers received a report of a structure collapse in the 200 block of Matoaka Court just after 10:05 p.m. That address is roughly half a mile from the campus of William & Mary.

Fire crews from Williamsburg as well as James City County, along with Williamsburg Police, responded and found that the back porch of the home had collapsed.

Emergency crews had taken 13 people to the hospital, and another 15 people got there on their own as of 10 a.m. Saturday, according to officials. The injuries were described as non-life-threatening.

In a message to the campus community Saturday morning, William & Mary officials said additional students may have sought care later in the night or the next morning.

"We recognize that such an experience may affect our students deeply and in different ways. They will need our help in the coming days as they recover and maintain momentum at William & Mary," Ginger Ambler, the college's vice president for student affairs and public safety, said.

Ambler said staff across health and wellness, academic well-being, public safety, care support, student leadership development and residence life are working to help the students. She encouraged anyone who needs help, or who sees someone struggling, to reach out to the Student Affairs office.

Officials said they are working with Riverside Doctors' Hospital and Sentara Williamsburg to confirm how many people transported themselves.

The city's Codes Compliance Division was notified and is inspecting and evaluating the site.

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