Porch tragedy makes Chicagoans rethink city staple
CHICAGO -- Until last month, Dave Majors barely noticed that the wooden porch of his third-floor apartment sloped too much or that the stairs leading from it creaked loudly.
22 partygoers hurt as deck collapses
VICTORIA -- Twenty-two people were rushed to hospitals Sunday after a wooden patio deck collapsed during a post-wedding party in Nanaimo.
Deck construction, capacity limits vital to accident prevention
Despite the strength of wood used in their construction, Steve Flaska, owner of Deck Pros in St. Joseph, said decks often come crashing to the ground because of improper attachment to the adjoining structure. It’s a vital — yet overlooked — step in their construction, he said.
“Most of the guys building their own decks make the mistake of not lagging it to the house properly,” Mr. Flaska said. “These people are shooting them together with nails, and when people want to go to the other end of the deck that’s not attached to the house, all the weight is shifted the wrong way. They need to use bolts.”