BILLINGS - The scene at Briarwood Country Club was much quieter Sunday than it was Saturday night after the back deck of the restaurant collapsed injuring dozens of people.
Billings resident Jordan Hennessy was there and recounts the terrifying experience he had as he fell with the deck.
“We heard this cracking sounds, kind of the worst sound I’ve heard in a long time, and I look over to my sister, I’m like 'we got to get off this deck' and it just happened,” said Hennessy at Briarwood Country Club on Sunday.
Hennessy was one of the nearly 50 people who ended up at a Billings hospital Saturday night after the deck collapsed. He said he still isn’t sure if he was conscious when he hit the ground.
“I don’t remember much other than a table came down and hit me in the head. Bounced my head off the pavement a little bit over here. Just everyone around me, it was a scene,” Hennessy said.
A chaotic scene is an accurate description as more than 300 people were at the club for the Tangle Derby, Briarwood’s biggest tournament of the year.
Esther Jensen was inside and watched the aftermath from the window.
“We rushed to the window and just saw everyone on the ground, you know, bleeding. Everyone was just right there,” said Jensen.
Thankfully, no one was underneath when the deck collapsed. It’s too soon to tell what caused it to happen.
“There wasn’t any negligence on Briarwood at all, it was just, I truly believe it was just a freak accident and we just have to deal with it,” said PGA general manager of Briarwood Country Club, Scott Pekovich.
He said at least part of the deck was replaced just a few years ago.
“The undercarriage of the deck has not been replaced recently. What has been replaced was the top trex decking, the actual cover or the floor of the deck,” Pekovich said.
Unfortunately for Hennessy, he won’t be golfing any time soon.
“I got x-rays on my ankle, my leg, elbow, kind of collarbone area because I landed right on my left side. Just came down,” said Hennessy.
Though he’s still in pain from the over ten-foot fall, he said he feels like he was actually in the right place at the right time.
“My sister actually fell right on top of me, which I’m happy about. Just making sure she’s okay,” Hennessy said.
