A violent storm tore through a celebration at a Virginia church on Friday evening, sending a massive tent crashing down on hundreds of worshipers and leaving one person dead and 22 others injured.
Abbey Johnston, acting chief of fire and rescue for Bedford County, said the scene was chaotic in the immediate aftermath.
One person died at the scene. Eleven others were transported by ambulance to area hospitals, while 11 more were treated and released at the site for minor injuries. Johnston said she did not know the condition of those who were hospitalized.
Bedford 911 Emergency Communications classified the incident as a mass casualty event. First responders from the Moneta Volunteer Fire Department were already on scene for the event and responded right away.
Johnston credited the presence of the Moneta fire chief and his team with helping to quickly move people to safety—even as the storm continued to rage.
"We were fortunate that we did have the fire chief here from Anita Fire Department, and members of his organization," she said. "They were able to very quickly begin rescue efforts and start relocating people to safe areas as the storm was still ongoing."
The tent had been properly permitted and inspected before the event. Bedford County's Division of Building Inspections cleared the structure on Tuesday, June 9. Johnston confirmed the tent was also properly secured to the ground.
"They obtained the proper permit from the county officials, and it was appropriately secured," she said.
Investigators were still working to determine exactly where and why the structure failed. As of Friday night, the tent remained on the ground while crews documented the scene with aerial footage.
"Based upon what we've seen so far," Johnston said she believed the high winds caused the failure—though she emphasized investigators would wait for the full investigation to finish.
For Pastor Troy Keaton, the night began as a milestone and ended in mourning. He said he had just stepped onto the stage to dismiss the congregation when the wind struck.
"Sadly one of our dear brothers suffered a fatal injury," Keaton wrote. "Our hearts are broken for his precious family."
Gov. Abigail Spanberger said her team has been in close contact with those on scene assessing the damage and investigating.