SAN ANTONIO – A day before a bleacher collapse at the Labor Day Kendall County Rodeo injured a dozen people, a report shows inspectors found no violations on the fairgrounds.
Records obtained by KSAT Investigates show three inspectors checked out the fairgrounds on Aug. 30, 2024, for a general inspection ahead of the Labor Day fair.
They did not find any fire hazards, and the extinguishers were up to date, according to the report.
Inspection report for Kendall County Fair Grounds by Mason on Scribd
It’s not clear if the bleachers were inspected during the walkthrough.
The Boerne Fire Department said 12 people were injured after the partial collapse of the rodeo arena’s seating. Eight people, whose ages range from 7 to 79, were taken to the hospital.
As of Tuesday, Kendall County EMS said only one person was still hospitalized. Officials said the Boerne Fire Marshal’s Office and the city’s Permitting and Code Compliance Office inspected the grounds around the rodeo arena on Sunday morning.
Pictures taken by the inspectors show the aftermath of the collapse.
The photos show where the metal buckled and split under the seats. Trash was still scattered around.
KSAT requested reports from Sunday’s inspection. As part of the records release, the city said there are none.
A City of Boerne official told KSAT that both agencies now believe a structural engineer must also examine the arena before it can be safely reopened to the public.
Chris Shadrock, communications director for the City of Boerne, did not say when the structural engineer would be at the fairgrounds, but said the city is working to release more information soon.
Read more reporting on the KSAT Investigates page.
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