PARIS — Few new details were available Sunday night about a porch collapse in Paris that sent four people to the hospital Saturday night due to circumstances surrounding the police officer handling the call.
Paris police officer Nate Bowie was recovering Sunday at his home after being taken to the hospital Saturday night along with Norway police officer Jim Vantresca. The two men were the first on the scene of a boarding house fire in Norway late Saturday night and credited with saving the building after pulling a burning mattress from the entrance to the structure.
Earlier that evening, Bowie responded to the deck collapse at 149 Moody Brook Road in Paris that sent four people to the hospital with injuries. The call came in about 8:45 p.m. Saturday when the deck attached to an apartment above a garage suddenly gave way and fell about 10 feet.
Bowie said Sunday night he did not have access to his clipboard and notes, which were in his cruiser. He was taken directly from the later fire scene by emergency crews.
Bowie said a man and woman were pinned between the deck and the garage when crews arrived on scene. The man suffered the worst of the injuries with an open pelvis fracture.
Some people drove themselves to the hospital; four were taken by ambulance.
Bowie said that according to witnesses, six to eight adults were standing on the seemingly sturdy, pressure-treated deck when it suddenly gave way and fell.
He said several people were attending a party at the apartment before heading out to hear a band play at Crazy 8’s in South Paris.
Prior to his own trip to the emergency room, Bowie said Saturday night he estimated the deck to be seven to eight years old and 8 by 10 feet in size.
He said because there did not appear to be criminal conduct involved, the issue would be turned over to the town’s code enforcement office.
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