06/14/2010 // West Palm Beach, Florida, USA // Sandra Quinlan // Sandra Quinlan

Hickory, NC—Twelve people were injured when a 40-foot section of a church ceiling collapsed during service. The incident occurred at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church on Sunday, June 13, 2010, according to information provided by WSOCTV.com.

Reports indicated there were approximately 200 people inside the church when a large portion of the ceiling gave way after 12 p.m. Church member Charlotte Scott stated, “We were celebrating, having a good time at church, then all of a sudden somebody said, ‘The ceiling is coming down.’”

“Everything was normal at first, then all of a sudden, [there] was a kaboom… Everybody was running; some people [were] on the ground [and] some people fell. I just grabbed my family and ran out,” explained church member Marco Culbreath.

Emergency medical services (EMS) crews seemingly rushed to the scene to transport those injured to area hospitals. A total of twelve people were taken to area hospitals, where they were treated and released. Their injuries did not seem to be life threatening.

Friendship Missionary Baptist Church was built in 1958. A Catawba County building inspector responded to the scene to examine whether the building was safe for occupancy. However, it failed to pass the inspection.

The cause of the church ceiling collapse remains under investigation.

Legal News Reporter: Sandra Quinlan- Legal News for North Carolina Personal Injury Lawyers.

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