IRVING, Texas - The Cowboys' indoor facility at Valley Ranch
collapsed Saturday afternoon during a rookie mini-camp practice, as
thunderstorms and high winds rolled through the Dallas area.
Irving assistant fire chief Rusty Wilson said 10 members of the team's staff
were taken to nearby hospitals, and he had been told of two additional walk-ins.
Special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis was taken away on a stretcher after sustaining a possible back injury, according to reports late Saturday. Dr. Paul Pepe, the head of
emergency medical services for Dallas County, said none of the injuries are
considered life-threatening.
At about 3:25 p.m., roughly 30 minutes into the second practice of the day,
the building's roof began to tremble and suspended light fixtures started
shaking. Seconds later the building collapsed, with approximately 70 people
inside, including 27 players. Several of the players, still wearing helmets,
helped free one news reporter from the debris as rain and winds continued to
blow down on the scene.
"Most of (the injuries) were minor cuts and bruises and so on, although we
did have two or three people with fairly serious injuries that have gone to our
area trauma centers," Pepe said. "Overall though, I would just say that the
immediate reaction of not only police and fire, and EMS crews from the fire
department, but also the Cowboys organization itself - their immediate reaction
prevented a lot of problems that we could have had."
The practice facility, completed in 2004, was a canopy structure supported by
steel frames, covering a regulation-sized football field. The storm produced
winds of at least 64 miles per hour, according to reports from the National
Weather Service.
Irving fire and rescue workers were on the scene within 10 minutes of the
building's collapse. All players and coaches have been accounted for. A team meeting had been scheduled for Sunday, but the camp's final practice was cancelled, and the team headquarters were closed.
Emergency responders have concluded a second search of the scene, and
consider the area tentatively stabilized. Cowboys spokesman Rich Dalrymple read
the following statement at a press briefing with fire and rescue officials:
"On behalf of the organization I would like to first express our tremendous
gratitude to the City of Irving fire, police and emergency medical personnel,
who responded in a very rapid and effective manner. In addition, I would like to
say that our primary thoughts and concerns at this time are with those who were
injured and their families. All of our thoughts, prayers, efforts and concerns
are with them now and moving forward."
Home | Email | Print | Register for New Alerts | RSS
Josh Ellis - 
