Deck Collapses, Injures Five People

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - In Gwinnett County, more than a dozen people were posing for post-wedding pictures, when the deck they were standing on suddenly gave way.

The 12 foot fall injured four children and an adult.

Wedding decorations are visible in the wreckage -- a wedding party was on a deck posing for pictures after a night of celebration.

"They were ready to cut the cake and we were right on the back of the deck," said Hector Perdomo.

That's when family members who were at a home on Brays Mill Trace in Lawrenceville said everything went wrong within seconds.

"All of a sudden we heard the cracking and the cracking was really fast," said Perdomo.

The next thing Hector Perdomo knew, the whole family -- 30 people, including several children -- had fallen when the second story deck gave way.

"Everybody [fell] and rolled but because the door was open everybody [fell] into the room," said Perdomo.

Fire fighters said five people were hurt when they arrived on the scene -- one adult and four children. Four of the children were taken to Scottish Rite Children's Hospital, the adult was taken to Gwinnett Medical Center.

Fire fighters said it was a 12 foot fall. But no one ended up trapped under the debris.

"It could have been a lot worse but unfortunately things happen. We didn't expect anything [of] this magnitude would happen," said Perdomo.

Authorities said none of the injuries appeared life-threatening.

Firefighters said the patio showed signs of termite damage, which would have weakened the structure.