News

Jul 22, 2023

6 injured when HVAC equipment collapsed into resort pool in Aurora, Colorado

Six people were injured Saturday morning when heating, ventilation and air

Six people were injured Saturday morning when heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment collapsed inside the indoor pool area of a Colorado resort, according to Aurora Fire Rescue.

Two of those hurt suffered life-threatening injuries, the department said in a news release, which did not detail the nature of the injuries. All six victims were taken to hospitals.

Authorities received multiple calls around 10 a.m. about the HVAC system collapse "inside the pool area at the Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center," the news release said.

Several units were sent to the scene, including the department's Technical Rescue Team, "whose members specialize in collapsed structures" and ensured other firefighters had a safe environment to work in, the release said, adding, "There were still hazards present with the threat of ongoing falling debris and mechanical systems."

Between 50 and 100 guests were estimated to be inside the pool area at the time of the collapse, fire officials said.

Aurora Fire Chief Alec Oughton praised members of his agency for their response, saying they "train for this type of incident every day."

"I am proud of their rapid and effective response in caring for our community," he said.

A spokesperson for the Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center told CNN in a statement that they were working with experts to investigate what happened.

"We are devastated by this traumatic incident. On Saturday, our top priorities were to support emergency responders and render assistance to those directly impacted, and we’re very grateful to the Aurora Fire Department for their swift actions," spokesperson Deanne French said in the statement. "Moving forward, we are focused on helping our affected guests and associates, and we are working with the appropriate experts to conduct a thorough investigation."