All but nine patients have been released from Kalispell Regional Medical Center following a deck collapse in Lakeside that injured more than 50 people.
Mellody Sharpton, director of communications and marketing for the hospital, said as of Monday morning all nine patients were listed in good condition.
A deck collapsed shortly before 4 p.m. Saturday at Glacier Camp just south of Lakeside, according to Lake County Sheriff Don Bell. More than 50 people were injured. First responders from across Flathead and Lake counties were called to the incident, and hospitals as far as Whitefish and Missoula prepared for a sudden influx of patients.
Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry, who also responded to the incident, said the injured ranged in age from young children to seniors. According to KRMC, there were a “significant number of orthopedic and neurological injuries that required immediate surgery.”
KRMC treated 27 patients and North Valley Hospital treated nine, according to a statement from Kalispell Regional Healthcare. Other area hospitals treated the remaining patients. At least six people were taken to area hospitals by helicopter and the rest were transported by ambulance or private automobile.
Curry said first responders triaged victims in order to determine who would be sent to the hospital first. It took about three hours to get all of the patients to area hospitals.
Bell’s office will not be opening a criminal investigation, but he said the camp’s insurance company will most likely investigate the cause of the collapse.
Glacier Camp, which is owned by Glacier Presbytery, issued a statement late Saturday evening about the incident.
“This afternoon, we had a major accident at camp. Please join us in praying for the injured and their families. We are grateful to all of the EMTs/Paramedics, fire departments and first responders who came to our aid. We ask for your prayers for all involved.”