Fire Marshal: Wexford Deck Collapse Result of Old Age

at 303 Highoak Court in Wexford, is being blamed on old age.

"The deck was built at the same time the house was built," said McCandless Fire Marshal Dan Stack. "Sometimes, over the years, the wood either rots or the supporting bolts rust away."

The home was built in 1987 according to the Allegheny County Real Estate web site. 

Firefighters were called to the scene around 6:15 p.m.

Initial reports indicated as many as 12 people were standing on the deck, which is one story high, when the portion closest to the home collapsed. Stack would not speculate on how many people were on the deck at the time of the accident.

"26 years ago, when the deck was constructed, different chemicals were used in pressure-treated lumber," said Stack. "We learned later that some of those chemicals were corrosive, and actually caused the supporting bolts to fail over time."

Stack said homeowners should periodically check the condition of their decks, particularly if they are older, and consider hiring a professional to inspect it.

He said Sunday's accident could have been much worse.

"It's nothing short of a miracle that no one was seriously hurt," said Stack.

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