Oregon: Lewis & Clark College's Brick Column Collapses, Killing 1 Student and Injuring 2 Others

A masonry column at the Lewis & Clark College campus in Portland, Oregon collapsed on Monday night, killing one student and injuring two others.

According to the college and Portland Fire & Rescue Bureau, a 19-year-old man died, and two 18-year-old women were wounded.

The Oregonian reported that one of those teenagers that were hurt had injuries to her arm, while the other suffered abdominal injuries. Both have been sent to the hospital, according to CBS News.

The Portland Fire & Rescue Bureau reported that six people were in three hammocks when the column fell. Fire crews struggled to reach the scene, as the area where the collapse happened was located at the center of the campus, and access to it was challenging, given how large the campus is.

Luckily, nobody was pinned under the rubble, though the causes of the collapse are still unknown. The investigation surrounding the incident is still ongoing.

President of Lewis & Clark College in Oregon Releases Statement

Shortly after the incident, Lewis & Clark College President Robin Holmes-Sullivan released a statement via the school's official website.

He revealed that a few students attached the hammocks to the free-standing columns before one of them collapsed. These columns are part of the historic grape arbor in the lower estate garden, which is part of the school's undergraduate campus.

Holmes-Sullivan noted that while emergency aid was given, one of the students still died. His name will not be released as the family requested privacy.

The college president said as a parent himself, he was also devastated at what happened, and his heart goes out to the families of those affected.

He added that they will be doing everything to support their students who are recovering at the hospital and those impacted by the tragedy.

Holmes-Sullivan further noted that the Flanagan Chapel will be open for anyone seeking quiet reflection and will let the campus know if and when they plan the memorial services.

Meanwhile, the school has already provided grief counselors for students, faculty, and staff. The statement also said that the College of Arts and Sciences dean has already asked professors to be flexible regarding missed classes.

Lewis & Clark College in Oregon Mourns Student Who Passed Away, but It Was Still Business as Usual

Venus Edlin, Editor-in-Chief of the school's newspaper, The Pioneer Log, spoke to OPB regarding the incident.

She said she sympathized with first-year students, as a similar incident happened in her freshman year when a student also died off-campus during orientation.

She noted that this was a tough way to start their life in college. The campus was mostly quiet after the collapse, with much of the area being cordoned off with police tape.

Edlin said it was kind of business as usual. College activities continued in the other parts of the campus. Edlin has criticized the school for releasing the statement late, saying that many students only found out about the incident from news stations and not from the school.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Student Killed After Column Collapses At Lewis & Clark College - From The Today Show