Floor collapses at Tamworth wedding venue, injuring six

A floor collapse at The Preserve at Chocorua wedding venue in Tamworth, New Hampshire on Saturday afternoon resulted in six people being hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, according to multiple sources.

“Multiple people injured after floor collapses at New Hampshire wedding venue Six people were taken to the hospital after a floor collapsed at a New Hampshire wedding venue Saturday Six people were taken to area hospitals with non-life threatening injuries after a floor collapsed at a wedding venue in Tamworth, New Hampshire, around 4:30 p”

ABC News

The incident occurred around 4:30-4:33 PM when a structural failure sent wedding guests plummeting into a basement area during a ceremony with approximately 140-144 attendees present.

ABC News

State Fire Marshal Sean P. Toomey and Tamworth Fire/Rescue Chief Richard Colcord confirmed the collapse, which created a significant safety hazard but fortunately resulted in no fatalities.

The emergency response involved multiple agencies working together to assess the situation and transport injured victims to area hospitals.

The structural collapse created a 20-foot by 20-foot opening in the floor of the Sap House building at the venue, causing approximately 70 wedding guests to fall into the basement where farming equipment and beams were stored.

Multiple individuals became trapped under the fallen debris and agricultural machinery, creating a complex rescue scenario.

Associated Press

Emergency crews discovered that venue staff and uninjured wedding guests had already initiated heroic rescue efforts, providing first aid and using ladders to help those who had fallen climb out of the basement before professional responders arrived.

This preliminary assistance likely prevented more serious injuries and expedited the overall response to the emergency situation.

Preliminary investigations by the New Hampshire State Fire Marshal's Office and Tamworth Fire/Rescue Department have determined that the building housing the wedding ceremony was likely over capacity prior to the structural failure.

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Boston 25 News

Officials believe this overcrowding may have contributed to the floor collapse, though the investigation is still in its early stages and hasn't determined the exact cause of the structural failure.

The venue, described as a historic 26-acre farm with multiple buildings, has been the subject of increased scrutiny as investigators work to understand how such a significant structural failure could occur during a public event.

Fire officials have indicated that they are continuing to gather evidence and may request additional information from witnesses to piece together the complete sequence of events leading up to the collapse.

In the aftermath of the incident, six adults were transported by ambulance with non-life-threatening injuries to area hospitals, while multiple other guests received treatment at the scene.

By late Saturday, four of the hospitalized individuals had been released, indicating that most injuries were relatively minor despite the dramatic nature of the collapse.

CBS News

The emergency response involved multiple mutual aid partners from surrounding communities, with some responders providing station coverage while others assisted at the scene.

The Preserve at Chocorua venue, which was not answering phone calls following the incident, faces scrutiny as investigators continue their work to determine liability and prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

The town of Tamworth, with a population of about 2,800 people located approximately 115 miles north of Concord, New Hampshire, has been dealing with the aftermath of this unexpected structural failure that disrupted what was meant to be a joyous wedding celebration.