Stadium railing collapses at Ohio high school football game, injuring 12
A disaster was narrowly averted in the middle of high school football fever in the American Midwest, with 12 fans sent tumbling onto the field after a railing at a stadium collapsed in the middle of a season opening contest for two teams.
As reported by the Cincinnati Enquirer and Cincinnati TV network WLWT, a game between Cincinnati rivals Cincinnati (Ohio) Sycamore High and Walnut Hills (Ohio) High was interrupted when a railing at the Sycamore Junior High stadium hosting the contest collapsed, sending no fewer than 12 fans tumbling on to the field.
WLWT reported that the fall from the stands to the ground was between 3-4 feet, a height that was dangerous but not in any way a deadly threat.
Nonetheless, two of the 12 fans who fell were hospitalized with injuries suffered in the fall, according to the Enquirer. The newspaper reported that fewer than 10 suffered any notable injuries of any kind.
Video of the scary collapse can be seen above. The game was completed on the field as scheduled, wrapping up with a 41-7 Sycamore victory.
The incident will require future alterations to the stadium before Sycamore can host future contests at the site. The facilities will also require a new inspection, the first since last November, before it can be occupied by fans.
That could be significant for a top-20 team in Ohio, with Sycamore hoping to put together a state playoff run. It has two consecutive road games at Ryle (Ky.) High and Springfield (Ohio) High before returning home to host another Southern Ohio rival, Middletown (Ohio) High, on Sep. 20.
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