AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) — A video showed the aftermath of an HVAC system collapse that injured six people at the Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center Saturday morning.
According to the Aurora Fire Department, the collapse happened around 9:50 a.m.
Of the six people who were injured, two had life-threatening injuries and four had non-life-threatening injuries.
‘There were kids down there,’ survivor says
Jamie Olson, who took the video, told FOX31 her son had just gotten out of the hot tub when the system collapsed directly on top of it and the rest of the pool.
“We were right on the outside of the hot tub and just kind of heard a big groan, and we looked up, and it was just like a domino effect,” she said. “One side collapsed, and then it caused the other side to collapse.”
Olson said there was black sludge that poured out the ceiling and her husband saw two kids covered in it.
“I think that’s the scariest part was that there were kids down there that couldn’t find their parents,” she said. “We would’ve sent our kids down there, no problem.”
‘Incredible’ response from bystanders
Olson said the immediate response from everyone — from guests to staff — was “incredible.”
“I think that if you could respond to such an unprecedented event that nobody is trained for,” she said. “They don’t train lifeguards for that, ‘What if the HVAC system collapses in the pool?’ I think that everyone did a pretty good job.”
She said that even though people were rattled, everyone did the best they could during the situation.
“Everybody jumped in to help,” Olson said.
According to AFD, an investigation into the collapse will be up to the resort to conduct.
Additionally, the pool has been closed for repairs, but fire crews said the rest of the resort was safe for guests.
The Gaylord Rockies released a statement and said it was “devastated by this traumatic incident.”
The statement also said the resort would work with experts to conduct a thorough investigation.