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Hundreds on stage during collapse at Anaheim high school

mark handler

mark handler

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Hundreds on stage during collapse at Anaheim high school

By Richie Duchon

March 9, 2014, 12:35 a.m.

Twenty-four students were transferred to area hospitals Saturday night after an auditorium stage collapsed during a performance at Servite High School in Anaheim.

About 250 girls from sister Catholic school Rosary High School were on the stage at the time, Anaheim Police Department spokesman Lt. Tim Schmidt said.

"Early investigations suggest the front of the stage gave out due to weight," Schmidt said. Orange County fire investigators were on the scene Saturday night trying to determine the exact cause of the stage collapse.

About 24 students suffered "minor to moderate" injuries, with broken bones at worst, Schmidt said.

A total of 300 to 400 students and parents were in the auditorium at the time of the collapse.

The students were performing in "Red and Gold," Rosary High's annual musical theatre challenge, in which teams prepare for six weeks to put on choral, dance, drama and other performances, according to the school's website.

Servite High School is an all-boys Catholic School in Anaheim. Rosary is an all-girls sister school in Fullerton.

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-hundreds-on-stage-during-collapse-at-oc-high-school-20140309,0,3965891.story#ixzz2vTGIcjqO
 
Looks like the part of the stage that collapsed was an add-on, the original stage looks to be in good shape. That's what it looks like to me........
 
I have not been to this auditorium and do not know if they have one, but It could be a covering over the orchestra pit ?
 
Might have, whatever it was, I doubt it was built at the time of the main stage.........doesn't look there would be much room there for an orchestra pit.
 
600
 
Typical orchestra pit design....

orchestra-pit-e1335539338754.png


when there is no orchestra manytimes they fill over the orchestra pit opening with stage.
 
Yeah, what do you suppose the load was on that stage? Then, add the girls jumping up and down in unison, not an engineer, but I think that it would have exceeded any required load rating. JMHO

Sorry there were injuries........it will be interesting to see what comes out of the investigation.
 
Servite High Stage Collapse Investigated By Anaheim Fire Marshal, Diocese Of Orange

March 10, 2014 11:23 AM

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2014/03/10/servite-high-stage-collapse-investigated-by-anaheim-fire-marshal-diocese-of-orange/

ANAHEIM (CBSLA.com) — The collapse of a wooden stage that injured at least 25 students at Servite High School in Anaheim will be investigated by the Diocese of Orange and the city’s fire marshal.

Police say their preliminary findings were that too much weight led to the collapse of the stage just before 10 p.m. Saturday, which caused moderate injuries to at least 25 students.

An estimated 250 girls from Rosary High, who were performing their school’s annual Red and Gold Rally in the theater at the boy’s high school at 1952 West La Palma Ave., were on the stage when it gave way. The most serious injuries appeared to be broken bones and cuts, firefighters said.

Video posted on YouTube shows dozens of female students on the stage, first swaying from side to side, then jumping up and down before the front panels of the stage collapsed. The video also showed members of the audience shouting and jumping up to help the students who went through the stage.

“Jeff Lutz, our city’s fire marshal, is taking the lead in investigating what caused the collapse, which at this point looks like too many students and too much weight on the platform stage,” Anaheim police Lt. Tim Schmidt said. The fire marshal’s office will also be assisted by the city’s planning and building department in the inquiry.

Schmidt also said the private high school’s platform stage was previously permitted for use, but now the investigating agencies will be rechecking that permit to see if it included a weight restriction or a limit as to the number of people who could safely be on the stage at one time.

An internal investigation was also underway, according to a statement by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange posted on the Rosary High School website.

Rosary is an all-girls Catholic high school in Fullerton that was founded in 1965. It utilizes the theater of the all-boys Servite High School for its annual Red and Gold event, according to Rosary’s website.

Rosary High students and their families gathered for prayers at Rosary’s Assembly Hall at 3:30 p.m. Sunday after families picked up personal items left behind at Servite.

(©2014 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)
 
(©2014 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.
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Look out Mark the copy-rite police are looking for you :lol:
 
The LA Times article from cda says a 1996 addition to stage collapsed. The 1994 UBC live load for stages was probably 125 psf compared to 150 psf in the current code. I would like to see the investigation results. 125 psf seems like it would be enough for a bunch of kids jumping up and down (150psf seems better). In addition to this, there is also a healthy safety factor.
 
Phil said:
The LA Times article from cda says a 1996 addition to stage collapsed. The 1994 UBC live load for stages was probably 125 psf compared to 150 psf in the current code. I would like to see the investigation results. 125 psf seems like it would be enough for a bunch of kids jumping up and down (150psf seems better). In addition to this, there is also a healthy safety factor.
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If you look at the picture above and the collapse video, no signs of support!!

I think the speakers in the pit have more support than the stage extension
 
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