Stage collapses at Indiana high school, more than a dozen injured
| Indianapolis
More than a dozen students suffered minor injuries after a聽stage聽packed with dancing and clapping youths聽collapsed聽during a musical performance at a central Indiana high school, authorities said Friday.
Capt. Charles Hollowell of the Westfield Police Department said all the students injured in the聽collapse聽Thursday evening were "doing really well," including a girl initially reported in critical condition. She was the only student still being treated at a hospital Friday morning, Hollowell said.
Authorities said a large group of students was on the聽stage聽during the grand finale of the "American Pie" concert at Westfield High School when the floor of the聽stage聽collapsed聽into the orchestra pit below.
Westfield Washington Schools Superintendent Mark Keen said it appeared that a cover that is placed over the pit for some productions had given way.
The State Fire Marshal's office, Indiana State Police and Indiana's workplace-safety agency were investigating thecollapse聽and would "make every effort to prevent this or worse from happening in the future," Indiana Gov. Mike Pence said in a statement.
Video supplied to The Associated Press by Zach Rader 鈥� who was in the audience 鈥� shows more than a dozen students dancing and clapping on聽stage聽while a female student sings along to Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'."
Most students then suddenly plummet out of sight, the music cuts off and screams are heard.
Blake Rice, an 18-year-old senior at the school, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of Indianapolis, said he was playing guitar in the performance, a tribute to '80s music.
As the last song began, Rice said he took a step back to allow more students onto the聽stage. He saw the stage聽collapse聽but did not fall through.
"At first, it didn't seem real. It didn't really register with me what happened," Rice said.
Rice said people in the audience immediately ran toward the聽stage聽and began pulling debris off students. Auditorium staff pulled people out of the pit, he said.
"I realized how lucky I was," Rice said. "Another 3 seconds and that could have been me."
