March 9, 2015

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St. Fratty’s Day roof collapse injures 9

SLO FIRE | COURTESY PHOTO THE WRECKAGE | Thousands of students were in the neighborhood for the St. Fratty’s Day party on Saturday morning, according to the San Luis Obispo Police Department. Thirty to 40 people were on the roof when it fell.

Mustang News Staff Report @CPMustangNews

It was a surreal moment for agricultural business junior Joey Gotelli. In an instant, he went from standing on a seemingly stable roof at a St. Fratty’s Day party to landing in a tangle of people and wreckage. “People were screaming,” Gotelli said. “There were people saying, ‘This hurts. That hurts.’ It was a war zone; it was terrible.” The roof he had been standing on had collapsed under the weight of 30-40 people. Gotelli was shocked for a moment but realized he needed to help after the collapse. “I tried to get the girls up and make sure those three were okay. I wasn’t just going to immediately leave,” Gotelli said. “I tried to help as many people as I could before I got out of there.” The scene was chaotic, and the reactions of the crowd mixed. “Immediately, people just started looking around to see what they could do to help,” Gotelli said. “I feel like everybody else just pulled out their phones and were taking pictures.” Gotelli pulled a piece of wood from his hand while helping in the aftermath, and once things began to calm down, he noticed his back beginning to hurt. Gotelli told paramedics he preferred to go home and ice his back for the injury. *** Saturday morning at 6:21 a.m., a garage roof at 364 Hathway Ave. collapsed at a St. Fratty’s Day

“I tried to help as many people as I could before I got out of there.” JOEY GOTELLI, AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS JUNIOR

“The university will investigate all aspects of this incident and will respond appropriately when the facts are known.” CAL POLY PRESIDENT JEFFREY ARMSTRONG & VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS KEITH HUMPHREY

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party. According to the San Luis Obispo Police Department, thousands of students were in the neighborhood for the party. Nine people were treated for injuries related to the collapse, according to Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center spokesperson Ron Yukelson. Injuries ranged from scrapes and bruises to one person who had a piece of debris impaled in their thigh. Two people were treated for being highly intoxicated, Yukelson said. One person with a concussion was admitted to the hospital and released on Saturday. None of the injuries were life-threatening, Yukelson said. Cal Poly has begun an investigation into the incident. In a universitywide email signed by Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong and Vice President for Student Affairs Keith Humphrey, it was said: “This event raises significant concern about the judgment exercised by both the party organizers and attendees regarding the health and safety of themselves and others. The university will investigate all aspects of this incident and will respond appropriately when the facts are known.” University spokesperson Matt Lazier said administrators in charge of the university investigation are gathering as much information as possible.

“People were screaming. There were people saying, ‘This hurts. That hurts.’ It was a war zone; it was terrible.” JOEY GOTELLI, AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS JUNIOR

see ROOF, pg 3.

1,000s OF STUDENTS WERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR THE PARTY

TO 40 STUDENTS WERE STANDING ON THE GARAGE AS IT COLLAPSED

JOSEPH PACK | MUSTANG NE WS AFTERMATH | The roof collapsed just after 6 a.m. on Saturday morning. SLO Fire was on the scene soon after.

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