Deck Collapses at Virginia College Homecoming Party, Injuring at Least 28 People

A back deck collapsed on Friday night during a college homecoming party at a home in Williamsburg, Virginia, in the United States. At least 28 people were injured and emergency crews rushed to the neighbourhood. The incident happened on 23 October 2026.

William & Mary University confirmed that its students were among those injured at the off-campus residence. According to city officials, all reported injuries were non-life-threatening.

The city said dispatchers received a report of a structure collapse at around 10:07pm on the 200 block of Matoaka Court. Responding police and firefighters found the home's back deck had collapsed.

According to the city's Saturday morning update, emergency crews took 13 people to hospitals. Another 15 people reportedly sought treatment on their own.

Neighbours told WAVY that a homecoming party was underway when the deck gave way. One neighbour, who asked not to be named, said ambulances and fire trucks stretched all the way down the street and many hospital gurneys were seen coming out of ambulances. At least nine ambulances were wrapped around the street, the neighbour said.

Joshua Wise, who lives next to the home, told WAVY that some of his classmates were involved. He returned after emergency crews had finished responding, but learned his housemate had been helping people get home.

Wise said: 'Word was travelling pretty fast. By the time I got back here, the emergency response was over, but I had a housemate who was helping people, trying to help out as much as possible, drive people home, get people where they needed to be.' He also credited neighbours with coming together after the frightening incident.

In a Saturday message to the campus community, William & Mary's senior vice president for student affairs and public safety, Ginger Ambler, said the university was still gathering information. Additional students may have sought care beyond those initially counted, she noted.

Ambler wrote: 'We are grateful that none of the injuries were life-threatening.' She said staff across the university's health, academic and student support offices were working to assist affected students. She also wrote: 'We recognise that such an experience may affect our students deeply and in different ways.'

Local police and firefighters responded, and city officials were working with area hospitals to confirm the total number of people treated. The city's Codes Compliance Division is evaluating and inspecting the site.