Thirty-three basketball fans were injured after a deck collapse at a popular Miami-area bar and grill sent them tumbling into the waters of Biscayne Bay on Thursday, during Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs, NBC News reported.
About 100 people were on deck of Shuckers Waterfront Grill when it collapsed at nearly 9:45 local time, Miami-Dade Fire and Rescue said, and two dozen were transported for medical treatment. Two people injured in the collapse remained in critical condition, as of late on Thursday evening.
"We were up on the fifth floor and just heard a crash, like something collided or like a thunderstorm," witness Erick Williams told NBC Miami. "They were injured, there were leg injuries, there were body injuries, people just shocked and awed."
"There was just a crack, and then we were in the water," Crystal Infante told the Miami Herald. "It was really hard to get out, and you couldn't find anyone."
"It's a little starling because you're sitting there watching the game, you're complaining about Wade not making his baskets and Bosh not getting any rebounds and next thing you know, there's this huge noise, the landscape just disappears, people disappear and the ones still standing start running toward you," said Peter Zalewski from Miami Beach.
Authorities said they believed everyone was accounted for by early Friday.
"This is a real tragedy," North Bay Village Mayor Connie Leon-Kreps said. "Shuckers has been here for many, many years. People come from all around to enjoy the view and the food. This is really unfortunate."
After the Miami Heat's109-93 Game 4 victory to even the best of 7 series, their star guard Dwayne Wade said, "I want to share our concerns as an organization and our gratitude to our fans back in Miami for their support," in a postgame interview.
