A happy graduation celebration at the Portuguese American Citizens Club in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, turned into a terrible tragedy on Saturday, June 7, 2024, when part of the building suddenly collapsed. The accident caused the death of a 15-year-old girl and seriously injured three other people. The collapse happened around 5:34 PM local time, shocking the entire community.
At the time of the incident, about 75 people were inside the club attending the party. CBS News reported that the collapse involved a concrete stairwell that broke away from the main building, trapping several people under the wreckage. Emergency crews, including police and firefighters from Portsmouth and nearby towns, rushed to the scene after receiving multiple calls about people being trapped.
