Homeowner discusses moment deck collapsed in Jackson
JACKSON, Tenn. — A Labor Day celebration turned into a nightmare for one family.
“It could have been a whole lot worse, but it was terrifying,” said Pam Deming, the homeowner.
This was the first time the family celebrated Labor Day together since the start of the pandemic.
Unfortunately, what was suppose to be a happy moment turned into a disastrous afternoon.
Five children and four adults from Deming’s family fell off her deck at Dogwood Circle after it suddenly collapsed.
Deming says they had all finished getting their food when the chaos started.
“I had one table that set out on the edge of the deck and the other up close to the house. We heard a large crack, and instantly, the entire deck just fell to the ground. They all went with it,” Deming said.
She says both her and her daughter-in-law are nurses, and they immediately came to their aid.
“Just took off running as fast as we could get to them and dug them out from under the debris,” Deming said.
Deming says fire and EMS were at the her house within two minutes of calling around 1 p.m.
Madison County Fire Chief Eric Turner says six people had serious injuries. Two had to be airlifted to Memphis.
“Four people were transported by ground ambulance to a local hospital. We had two that were airlifted to the Med,” he said.
Deming says the four family members at Jackson-Madison County General Hospital were discharged Tuesday.
The two family members in Memphis are still at the hospital.
She says the outcome could have been much worse, and they are grateful everyone is okay.
“Prayed and thanked God, and still cry when I think about, ‘What if?’ I am thankful overall for the best outcome possible,” Deming said.
Deming says they are still not sure what caused the deck to collapse.
