A deck that collapsed Sunday at a house in Rosemount, injuring three people who were on it, was constructed poorly and had been built without a city permit, officials said.
When the second-story deck gave way shortly before 4 p.m. at the house on Claret Avenue, homeowner Ed Finneseth said everyone was surprised.
"It happened right before my eyes," said Finneseth, who was going to follow his brother-in-law onto the deck Sunday afternoon. The family had gathered for Easter. "I turned to grab a deviled egg, and they were gone," he said.
The deck fell away from the house, landing on the patio below. Finneseth's wife, Jill, and brother-in-law suffered scrapes and bruises. His sister-in-law dislocated her ankle.
"It could have been so much worse," he said.
Rosemount building officials said the house, built in 1988, never had a permit for a deck. Looking at pictures after the accident, they noted multiple structural problems.
For starters, the deck was nailed directly to siding of the house, instead of being bolted to a ledger board, as required by building codes.
"This is one of the reasons why we require permits and inspections," said Kim Lindquist, the city's community development director. "It appears that there were some things that would've been caught at an inspection."