Bleacher Collapse at Oregon Grade School Leaves Six Children Injured

The sixth-graders were on the bleachers getting ready to have their class photo taken.

Salem-News.com

(HILLSBORO, Ore.) - Bleachers packed with 50 kids collapsed at 10:15 AM this morning at the West Union Elementary School in Hillsboro. Six children reportedly suffered injuries that are considered non-life-threatening.

Sgt. Dave Thompson with the Washington County Sheriff's Office, says a criminal investigation was started by Sheriff's deputies after they learned that some of the supports that are used to hold up the bleachers had been stolen.

After the collapse, Washington County Fire District #2 was called to the school where several children had been injured during the bleacher collapse. The firefighters later requested the assistance of Sheriff's deputies for traffic control around the school.

Thompson says that when deputies arrived, they learned that the group of about 50 sixth graders were sitting on the bleachers near the baseball field in the back of the school getting ready to have their class picture taken when the seating structure came crashing down around them.

"The bleachers suddenly collapsed, causing non-life-threatening injuries to at least six children," Thompson said.

"With the assistance of the Hillsboro School District, deputies learned that some of the support structures that are meant to hold up the bleachers were removed. Deputies called out the Washington County Forensics Science Unit to assist with the investigation."

He says once the bleachers had been processed for fingerprints by the Forensics Science Unit, the were overturned and authorities confirmed that some of the bleacher's critical support structures had been removed.

Thompson says they are not sure when the cross ties were removed. He says they were not removed by anyone in the school district.

Investigators are asking the public to call 503-846-2500 with any information they may have regarding this incident.