Cowboys Facility Caves in DURING Practice

IRVING, Texas - The Cowboys' indoor facility at Valley Ranch collapsed Saturday afternoon during a rookie mini-camp practice, as thunderstorms and high winds rolled through the Dallas area.

Irving assistant fire chief Rusty Wilson said 10 members of the team's staff were taken to nearby hospitals, and he had been told of two additional walk-ins. Special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis was taken away on a stretcher after apparently sustaining a possible neck injury. Dr. Paul Pepe, the head of emergency medicals services for Dallas County, said none of the injuries are considered life-threatening.

At about 3:25 p.m., roughly 30 minutes into the second practice of the day, the building's roof began to tremble and suspended light fixtures started shaking. Seconds later the building collapsed, with approximately 70 people inside, including 27 players. Several of the players, still wearing helmets, helped free one news reporter from the debris as rain and winds continued to blow down on the scene.

"Most of (the injuries) were minor cuts and bruises and so on, although we did have two or three people with fairly serious injuries that have gone to our area trauma centers," Pepe said. "Overall though, I would just say that the immediate reaction of not only police and fire, and EMS crews from the fire department, but also the Cowboys organization itself. Their immediate reaction prevented a lot of problems that we could have had."

The practice facility, completed in 2004, was a canopy structure supported by steel frames, covering a regulation-sized football field. The storm produced winds of at least 64 miles per hour, according to reports from the National Weather Service.

Irving fire and rescue workers were on the scene within 10 minutes of the building's collapse. All players and coaches have been accounted for, and the remainder of the mini-camp has likely been cancelled.

Emergency responders have concluded a second search of the scene, and consider the area tentatively stabilized. Cowboys spokesman Rich Dalrymple read the following statement at a press briefing with fire and rescue officials:

"On behalf of the organization I would like to first express our tremendous gratitude to the City of Irving fire, police and emergency medical personnel, who responded in a very rapid and effective manner. In addition, I would like to say that our primary thoughts and concerns at this time are with those who were injured and their families. All of our thoughts, prayers, efforts and concerns are with them now and moving forward."

Between the falling debris and the furor to get out, special teams coach Joe DeCamillis broke his back and 11 more people were hospitalized.

About 60 others felt lucky to escape with only cuts and bruises.

"I saw it coming down and didn't have time to react," secondary coach Dave Campo said. "I hit the ground and was able to get back up."

DeCamillis, hired a few months ago, is likely to need surgery to fix "a couple of broken vertebrae" in his lower back but is expected to recover, said his father-in-law, Dan Reeves, the longtime NFL coach.



"They say he's lucky not to be paralyzed," said Reeves. The coach was seen being removed on a stretcher wearing a neck brace.

DeCamillis was among 10 people taken away by emergency vehicles. Two others went to hospitals on their own.

Those with more serious injuries included a person with a head injury, one with an open fracture below the knee and someone who was impaled with metal, said Tommy Gonzalez, Irving's city manager.

IRVING, Texas – The Dallas Cowboys just released updated medical information on the three most seriously injured members of the organization in Saturday’s weather-related collapse of their tension-structure outdoor practice facility, along with a statement from Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

The release reads as follows:

Scouting assistant Rich Behm (33) sustained a fracture to the Thoracic spine (10th Thoracic vertebrae). The fracture caused a severing of the spinal cord at that level causing permanent paralysis from the waist down. He underwent surgery to stabilize the fracture last night and remains in stable condition at Parkland Hospital.

Special teams coach Joe DeCamillis (43) sustained a fracture of one of his cervical vertebrae (C-7/T-1). He remains in stable condition without paralysis at Parkland Hospital. Surgery to stabilize the fracture is scheduled for Monday morning.

Assistant athletic trainer, Greg Gaither (35) sustained a fracture to the tibia and fibula in his right leg which was surgically repaired last night at Baylor University Medical Center. He should be released later this week.

And the following is the statement from Cowboys owner Jerry Jones:

“To the Behm family we extend our love, comfort, and the full support of every person and resource within the organization. Rich is a courageous member of our family and someone for whom we care deeply. We ask for all friends and fans of the Dallas Cowboys to join us in embracing him and his family with their thoughts and prayers at this very difficult time.

“As we share concern for everyone who was touched by this accident, we also extend our heartfelt and best wishes to Coach Joe DeCamillis and his family as they prepare for Joe’s surgery tomorrow.

“We are grateful that Greg Gaither’s surgery was successful, and we feel blessed that others involved were able to walk away from this accident after receiving medical attention yesterday afternoon.

“The Dallas Cowboys organization would like to express its deepest appreciation to the City of Irving’s Fire, Police and medical emergency teams that collectively responded to the accident in the most timely and thorough manner yesterday. We are also grateful to those Cowboys players and staff members who acted so quickly and heroically in the face of personal danger to help those around them who were in need of immediate assistance.”

Mickey Spagnola

http://www.truebluefanclub.com/blogs/writers_block.cfm?

That video is scary. What happened to Rich Behm is terrible.