Cantal: a terrace collapses during a wedding, leaving one dead and four seriously injured

The terrace of the multi-purpose hall in Saint-Pierre, in Cantal, collapsed while 'a wedding was being celebrated there. One person died and four were transported to the hospital in absolute emergency.

The tragedy occurred around 6:15 p.m. on Saturday, July 27. A wedding had just begun to be celebrated in the multi-purpose hall of Saint-Pierre, in Cantal. The guests were gathered on the 100 m2 wooden terrace when it gave way, according to information from France Bleu Pays d'Auvergne. The departmental prefecture reports that a 69-year-old woman died of cardiac arrest and that four others were transported to hospital in an emergency, although their prognosis is not life-threatening. 35 people, who were injured, but less seriously, were also transported to hospital.

According to the commander of the Mauriac gendarmerie company, Fabrice Allaizeau, to BFMTV, “rescue professionals were present at this wedding”, which greatly facilitated the intervention of the emergency services.

A medical-psychological emergency unit opened

The emergency services were quickly dispatched to the scene, including “firefighters, gendarmes and civil protection”, accompanied by “four helicopters, 20 vehicles, 57 firefighters” as well as reinforcements from Corrèze and Puy-de-Dôme, the prefecture explains.

The Orsec plan, an emergency rescue plan deployed in the event of serious events, has been triggered in several hospitals in the prefecture. Those in Mauriac and Aurillac, where the injured are being treated, are affected by the white plan, a specific health emergency plan in health establishments. A medical-psychological unit has also been opened for victims and witnesses of the tragedy. An investigation has been opened for manslaughter and unintentional injuries. According to initial studies, the hall built in 2010 was regularly used and could accommodate up to 240 people. Daniel Salvary, the mayor of the town, assured BFMTV that the hall was “appraised like all municipal halls”.