Nine local teenagers were sent to four area hospitals Saturday morning after falling from a private deck that collapsed.

The teens were from a church in Enumclaw had spent Friday night at a private residence at the 15000 block of 243rd Avenue East, off the Larson-Loss Road, before attending a church function Saturday. After breakfast, they decided to take a group photo on the deck off the second story of the home and it collapsed, sending all 12 teens tumbling to the ground.

Emergency crews from East Pierce Fire and Rescue, Buckley and Orting responded to the scene. East Pierce and Orting crews transported nine of the 12 teens to local hospitals. According to East Pierce Volunteer Chief Jake Doty, none of the patients sustained life-threatening injuries, however two were hurt worse than the others.

“These kids were very lucky,” he said. “Their injuries could have been much, much worse.” Doty calculated that the teens fell approximately 10 to 12 feet to the ground below. Most of the patients were transported as a precaution, he said.