Elevated walkway collapses in Texas city, injuring dozens

The Associated Press

Updated: Jun 8, 2023 / 10:56 PM CDT

An elevated walkway collapsed an injured several members of a visiting youth group at Stahlman Park in Surfside Beach, Texas, Thursday, Jun. 8, 2023. Nearly two dozen teenagers from a summer camp were injured when an elevated walkway collapsed Thursday in the beachside city in Texas, with five flown to the hospital by helicopter. (Mike Felix/The Brazosport Facts via AP)

SURFSIDE BEACH, Texas (AP) — Nearly two dozen teenagers from a summer camp were injured when an elevated walkway collapsed Thursday in a beachside city in Texas, with five flown to the hospital by helicopter.

None of the injuries were expected to be life-threatening, Brazoria County officials said. The cause of the walkway collapse in Surfside Beach, a small city on the Gulf of Mexico, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) south of downtown Houston, was under investigation.

Surfside Beach Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Chief Justin Mills said his department responded to an emergency call at 12:34 p.m. and set up landing areas for the medical helicopters.

Sharon Trower, public information officer for Brazoria County, said all of the victims were between 14 and 18 years old and from the Bayou City Fellowship summer camp. The five taken by helicopter were flown to Memorial Hermann hospital in Houston. Six were taken to local hospitals by ambulance, and about 10 more were taken to hospitals by private vehicles, Trower said.

Memorial Hermann officials and Bayou City Fellowship camp officials did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

Aerial video from TV station KTRK showed the walkway appears to be made from wood and leads to a building.