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The incident took place around 10 p.m. Wednesday at 18 Sam Law Drive when the deck ripped off the back of the home during an engagement party, said Spring Valley Fire Chief Canario.
First responders, including police, fire, and EMS, arriving on the scene were hampered reaching the victims, which included at least 12 people, due to numerous cars, vans, and buses being parked along the roadway, the chief said.
"We had to carry our tools at least a block to reach the injured," Canario said.
Once there, firefighters began digging through the debris of the deck to search for any injured people. Six people were taken to Nyack Hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, two people were transported by a vehicle, and numerous others were treated at the scene, he said.
The chief was not sure how many people were on the deck at the time it collapsed but said it would have to be a large number to have the entire structure pull away from the building, including all the wood, railings, etc.
"It was a crazy scene," Canario said. "People were everywhere in the road, pretty chaotic."
The deck, which was light, and made of plywood, helped prevent the injuries from being more serious, he added.
The building inspector has inspected the deck and building and will be submitting a report regarding its safety.
Agencies assisting included EMS teams from Spring Hill, Hatzoloh and Chaverim, the chief said.
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