Multiple people injured in dock collapse at North Carolina beach

ATLANTIC BEACH, N.C. (WITN/Gray News) - A dock collapse at a charter fishing business injured several people on Sunday.

WITN reports the collapse happened just before 6:30 a.m., according to Atlantic Beach Fire Marshal Casey Arthur.

Atlantic Beach Fire Chief Michael Simpson said it was on the 12-foot portion of the dock at Captain Stacy Fishing Center at 505 AB Causeway.

“Based on what my staff found and what the staff from the fishing charter told me, there were about 9 or 10 people that actually went into the water. All of those were quickly retrieved out of the water by Captain Stacy’s staff, police department staff, and maybe fire department staff,” Simpson said.

Simpson said a group was loading onto a charter fishing boat when the collapse happened.

“The dock had collapsed into the water, it only fell maybe about four or five feet and it was about four feet of water,” he said.

Passengers involved in the incident did show signs of scrapes and bruising and told WITN it was a very scary experience.

An employee next door at Tow Boat U.S. told WITN that they did hear screaming and commotion as the dock dropped and people were tossed into the water.

Four people injured were taken to Carteret Health Care in serious, but non-life-threatening condition, according to officials.

Others refused treatment, officials said.

Morehead City Fire Department, Pine Knoll Shores Fire Department, and Beaufort Fire Department were also on the scene to help remove people from the water.

Simpson also said that the dock has been marked off and secured from public access and that building inspectors have been contacted.

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