Deck collapses at venue

Authorities said at least 14 people were injured when a deck collapsed at a rentable venue in the region.

The incident occurred last Thursday evening in West Olive at the Weaver House, a renovated house built in 1902 that’s rented for events and run by the Ottawa County Parks & Recreation Department.

Authorities said the cause of the deck collapse is not yet known.

Ottawa County Sheriff Steve Kempker said about 25 people were on the back deck when it gave way in the middle and collapsed. Kempker said none of the injuries are considered life-threatening.

Authorities said about 118 people were at the Weaver House for an event hosted by the North Ottawa Community Health System. The event was being held to thank donors who funded a new emergency room.

Kempker said doctors and nurses in attendance "jumped right into the emergency mode" after the collapse, which "probably made a big difference here for a lot of people."