Two injured after San Francisco balcony collapses
The arrow is pointing to where a balcony used to be before it collapsed early Saturday AM on Lawton Street in San Francisco. Photo: Sara Zendehnam
SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) - Indents on the front of a Lawton Street building are the only sign there was once a balcony there.
“All of a sudden there’s a bunch of shouting, 10 to 15 minutes later fire engines were on scene,” said a neighbor.
The San Francisco Police Department said two people were hurt after a balcony collapsed just after midnight Saturday in the Sunset District.
“My wife saw, after the ambulance came, there was two ladies seemingly passed out she thought they were passed out,” said neighbor, Cary Sunshine.
San Francisco’s Department of Building Inspection posted a notice of violation just outside of the building where a city inspector noted the two victims were in stable condition.
Neighbors said there was a lot of commotion coming from the building even before the accident, “Upstairs was packed with loud music and dancing people,” said Sunshine.
On the notice of violation, the city inspector said the bolts holding the balcony failed because of the combination of the weight of the two people standing on it and dry rot and rust.
One man who lives next door said it could’ve been worse because he believes the balcony is meant for decorations, “People shouldn’t be out here on balconies that are not meant for people.”
We reached out to the Department of Building Inspection and the building’s property management company for comment, but have yet to hear back.