Cause sought in collapse of terrace at Ohio winery

Workers carry one of 75 victims injured during the accident

1 killed, 75 injured

July 2, 2000
Web posted at: 4:42 p.m. EDT (2042 GMT)

In this story: A thump, then a plunge to the cellar Onlookers pitched in to help victims Terrace dates to mid-1960s RELATED STORIES, SITES

OTTAWA COUNTY, Ohio (CNN) -- Police, aided by a structural engineer, hope inspections on Sunday will show what caused a terrace to collapse and kill one person and injure 75 at an island winery on Lake Erie in Ohio.

VIDEO CNN's Gary Tuchman reports from Ohio where a terrace collapsed at an island winery and left one dead and 75 injured Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K     MESSAGE BOARD Structural disasters

Craig Emahiser, sheriff of Ottawa County, said the engineer will point out likely problem spots in the wreckage of the concrete and steel terrace at the Lonz Winery, on Middle Bass Island.

"Our detectives and investigators will go ahead and collect that evidence, and it'll be available for a later time for analysis," Emahiser told reporters Sunday morning before authorities set out for the island.

A 29-year-old Columbus, Ohio, man was killed in the collapse Saturday afternoon. Authorities were withholding his name until his family is notified.

Seventy-five people sought treatment for injuries, with 30 people being admitted to area hospitals, said Jim Greer of the Ottawa County Emergency Management Agency. One person was in critical condition at a Toledo hospital.

Located about five miles from the mainland in north-central Ohio, Middle Bass Island was open for visitors Sunday. The Lonz Winery, however, has been closed indefinitely, authorities said.

Emergency workers scramble to prepare medical supplies on Saturday

About 100 people were out on the 20-by-25-foot lakefront terrace when it gave way in the late afternoon. The winery, which dates to the Civil War, is a popular weekend spot.

Witnesses said they were sipping wine and listening to music when the four-inch surface collapsed without warning. ( 120 K/11 sec. AIFF or WAV sound)

Some described hearing a loud thump and feeling a sensation as if an earthquake had hit.

"You couldn't even realize what had happened to you," one man told CNN. "You were down and you were gone."

Victims plunged 18 feet to a cellar below, where the winery stored barrels and other equipment. A U.S. Coast Guard spokesman said injuries ranged from punctured lungs to broken limbs.

Rescuers grabbed doors off hinges at the winery to carry some of the more seriously injured. Victims who needed immediate attention were airlifted by helicopter, while others were shuttled by boat to the mainland for help.

A witness describes the scene after the terrace buckled ( 128 K/12 sec. AIFF or WAV sound)

Mark Wilhelm, volunteer fire chief at Put-in-Bay, Ohio, said he and his crews arrived on the scene in about 10 minutes.

"By the time we got there, everyone had been cleared out from the collapse," Wilhelm said. "People on the scene got everyone out."

Twenty-three squads from 23 departments or agencies in north-central Ohio responded to the scene, including emergency crews from as far as Cleveland and Toledo, Ottawa County authorities said.

"We had people pouring out of the walls to help us," Wilhelm said. "I think the whole scene went excellent yesterday."

Sheriff Emahiser said authorities will check county building records to see when the terrace, which is part of the Lonz's main building, was last inspected. It is thought to have been built in 1964.

Investigators look for clues after the terrace collapsed

Some reports indicate people may have been dancing on the terrace moments before it collapsed. Emahiser said he couldn't verify that, but he said he suspects a building flaw is to blame for the mishap.

Officials said Sunday they did not know how many people the terrace could safely hold. Wilhelm said so far as he knew, there had been no problem in the past with the terrace.

The winery is on the National Register of Historic Places. It sits on 120 acres on the island.

Paramount Distilleries Inc. is in the process of selling the property. Grapes have not been grown on the site for more than 20 years.

CNN National Correspondent Gary Tuchman and The Associated Press contributed to this story, written by CNN.com Writer John North.

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Lonz Winery
Firelands Community Hospital
St. Vincent in Toledo
Put-in-Bay

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