8 Injured After Railing Collapses at TV Taping

Eight people were injured--one seriously--when they fell eight feet to the floor after a bleacher railing snapped during an intermission in the taping of the “Vibe” television talk show Thursday in Hollywood.

Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey said the accident occurred when members of the audience surged forward to grab for free promotional compact discs and videocassettes being tossed to them from the stage at CBS Television City.

The show’s popular host, comedian Sinbad, was not on stage at the time and apparently did not witness the incident, Humphrey said.

The “Vibe” show said in a statement that Sinbad “personally expressed his heartfelt concern for those who were injured.”

“Vibe Television’s primary concern is for the welfare of those injured, all of whom received immediate medical attention,” the show said.

Officials said the nearly 200 audience members were seated in the bleachers for the taping, which began about 4 p.m. The studio seats 300 people. A first show was completed, and during a break before the taping of a second show, Sinbad and other cast members left the stage. While they were gone, several support personnel began tossing the CDs and videocassettes to the audience, Humphrey said.

As the crowd of young adults lunged forward, the railing in front of the steeply banked bleacher section collapsed, officials said. Those who were injured tumbled eight feet to the concrete floor between the stage and the bleachers.

Charles Cappleman, a CBS official, said the victims--six women and two men--included several people who complained of injuries to their arms and backs. Humphrey said one woman, who is 31 years old and eight months pregnant, suffered cuts in her mouth and a dislocated elbow, the most serious injury.

Fire Department paramedics treated the victims at the scene. All eight were transported by ambulance to hospitals. The identities of the victims were not released.

In an unrelated incident, an 80-year-old man stumbled on stairs after the railing collapse. He declined treatment, Humphrey said.

The second taping was postponed.

CBS representatives expressed regret that the accident occurred. Fire officials said that although the collapse of the railing appeared to be a ‘freak occurrence,” there would be an investigation.